DE2603684A1 - Propulsion for medical probes or endoscopes - uses inflatable chambers to imitate amoebal propulsion principle - Google Patents

Abstract

The propulsion device for probes or endoscopes in medical use artificially imitates the pseudopodia produced by a amoeba to propel themselves, in the form of a wrapper for the probe. T his wrapper forms the base for a wrapper for the of elastic material, constructed with internal ribs, or varying wall thickness so that on inflation they deform unevenly. If they are then in contact with another surface press. is exerted on the wrapper to move in its own plane. The effect can also be obtained by having subdivisions in the chambers with air flow through them unrestrained in one direction and through a spring-loaded valve in the other. orderly movement in the desired direction is obtained by the co-ordinated inflation and deflation of a number of suitably arranged chambers.

Description

Description:

Propulsion by artificial pseudopodia for the introduction of devices.

The invention relates to a drive by artificial fseudopodia that consist of inflatable chambers made of elastic material, which are in a, the directional locomotion on a surface useful way when they deform be inflated and deflated again in a coordinated manner in terms of time and space.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a mechanically uncomplicated and Drive that protects the contact surfaces for special areas of application, e.g. for active introduction of a probe or an endoscope in the medical field to have.

Endoscopes and probes are cleverly pushed, turned and Moving their headboards into body orifices.

Sometimes it is difficult to get through several turns because e.g. the intestine expands when it is pushed forward or the windings passed expand, so that they no longer offer guidance.

The object of the invention is to avoid this and to introduce it to facilitate, for example, by pulling the bowel onto the device and in many places is transported past at the same time.

The pseudopodia consist of inflatable chimneys all elastic Piaterial whose wall is thinner in the direction of locomotion and in opposite direction is thicker or stiffened, so it is when inflating part of the enlarging, outer chamber surface with contact and entrainment the environment shifts backwards and so a force in the opposite direction exercises at the base of the pseudopodia.

In order to carry out the necessary movements and displacements when inflating, can a pseudopodia chamber stiffened inside with ligaments, lamellae and ribs and in Form can be kept, as well as divided into one or more further chambers which are inflated separately or with the adjacent chamber through a pressure valve (Epass in one direction freely, in the other only from a certain pressure) in connection stand.

To secure the feed and the surrounding surface further after To push at the back, at least one must always be pumped up in the pushing direction before the last one Pseudopodium lying pseudopodium can be inflated and stay there before that The former can empty again. There can also be pseudopodia with a holding function next to it be inflated.

The pseudopodia can partially overlap when inflated.

Inflation and deflation must be coordinated with this in mind and run in waves across the device. Each rammer has a connection to an overpressure and Vacuum line and an electrically or otherwise controlled valve, the Aufpumje and emptying are regulated. Chambers with the same phase can be controlled via a valve control line operated jointly.

The pseudopodia can, as long as their function, during inflation to deform in such a way that they push something backwards and the resulting opposing force to transmit on its basis is not disturbed, be arbitrarily shaped, possibly also in a ring around the endoscope. Pseudopodia chains can be used for forward or backward thrust can be placed next to each other and operated as required.

The contact-making surface of the chambers can through Teeth, Ribs or suitable adhesive profiles must be designed so that they adhere in one direction and sliding in the other is facilitated.

The whole drive system can be made in the form of a shell, which can be attached to the corresponding devices and removed again.

Claims (3)

Claims: 1. Propulsion by artificial pseudopodia that consist of inflatable chambers made of elastic material, which are in one of the directional locomotion on a surface useful way when they deform be inflated and deflated again in a coordinated manner in terms of time and space. Badby characterized in that arbitrarily shaped and arranged chambers Made of elartic material on the inside with bands, lamellas or ribs or different ones wall thickness, as well as possibly by dividing into further chambers, which are with the adjoining Chamber are connected via a pressure valve, are designed so that when inflating part of the enlarging outer chamber surface with contact and Carrying away the now adjoining surface moves backwards and so creates a counter pressure exerts on the chamber base. in directional drive is through temporal and spatial coordinated inflation and deflation of adjacent chambers, identical or different Kind reached. 2. Drive according to claim 1 characterized in that? the one who made the contact Surface of the chambers by means of teeth, ribs or suitable profiles is that clinging in one direction and times easing in the other will. 3.Antrieb according to claim 1, characterized in that the whole drive system is made in the form of a shell that is attached to the corresponding devices and can be removed again.