Patent Publication Number: US-2023148846-A1

Title: Single Piece Stamped Flexure

Description:
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/280,203, filed Nov. 17, 2021, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a flexible stamped flexure structure. The new invention has many advantages such as reduced cost, lending itself to single use applications, more easily scalable for higher volumes, and is one piece, less complex, more reliable, less manufacturing steps, less reliance on skilled labor. Moreover, the previous devices have multiple pieces, requiring assembly and thus introducing error potential and risk at each assembly. 
     The new flexible stamped flexure is useful in medical devices. Previously known hinge assemblies, link assemblies and snake wrists have high costs and are not attractive for single use applications. 
     The new single piece stamped flexures are such as those used in medical devices that are typically called hinge assemblies, link assemblies or snake wrists, the new structure offers a low-cost alternative to the multipiece assemblies currently in the field. The invention, in addition to the significant manufacturing cost reduction, utilizes an easily scalable manufacturing process. The stamped flexure performance is adjustable via application of various geometries and materials. The function and performance of the new flexure can be altered in order to make it more or less spring-like, increase or decrease the bend radius, and increase or reduce the number of repeating segments. These alterations are done by changing one or more of the properties of the type of material/alloy used, the thickness of the material, the spacing of the cutouts, the shape of the cutouts, the clocking of the cutouts relative to one another, the use of various combinations of cutouts having different positions in the sequence of the repeating segments, and the diameters of the flexures. The type of heat treatment or similar alloy alterations can also be altered to adjust the performance of the device. 
     This invention can be used with and in various manual and robotic surgical and endoscopic instruments that employ what can be known as:
     Snake wrist   Snake   Hinge assembly   Link assembly   Flexure   

     The flexible result and direction can be controlled by cables that are manipulated manually (i.e. handheld units) or remotely/motorized, for example in robotic assisted surgery and endoscopy. 
     These and further and other objects and features of the invention are apparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing written specification, with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS.  1 - 3    show the single piece stamped hinge assembly invention. 
         FIG.  4    is an end view of the stamped flexure shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3   . 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective side and end view of the new stamped flexure shown in  FIGS.  1 - 4   . 
         FIG.  6    is a detail of interposed cable guidance sections of the new stamped flexure. 
         FIGS.  7 - 9    show currently used medical devices having multi-piece hinge assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a new single piece stamped flexure, to replace those used in medical devices that are typically called hinge assemblies, link assemblies or snake wrists. The new single piece stamped flexure  10  offers a low-cost alternative to the multipiece assemblies currently in the field. The invention, in addition to the significant manufacturing cost reduction, utilizes an easily scalable manufacturing process. 
       FIG.  2    shows a new stamped flexure  10  that has been slightly bent  12 .  FIG.  3    shows a new stamped flexure  10  that has been curved to a new shape  14 . 
     The stamped flexure performance is adjustable via application of various geometries and materials. The function/performance of the flexure can be altered in order to make it more or less spring-like, increase or decrease the bend radius, and increase or reduce the number of repeating segments. These alterations are done by changing one or more of the properties of the type of material/alloy used, the thickness of the material, the spacing of the cutouts  20  and the remainder hinges  22  at the ends  24  of the cutouts that form connected segments  30 . The shape of the cutouts, the circular position clocking of the cutouts relative to one another, the use of various combinations of cutouts having different positions in the sequence of the repeating segments, and the diameter of the flexure are controlled in the manufacture. The type of heat treatment or similar alloy alterations can also be altered to adjust the performance of the device. Integrally connected segments  32  have inward extensions  34  that guide and support instruments inside the stamped flexure  10 . 
     In  FIG.  4    the inward extensions  34  for guiding and centering inserted instruments are shown. 
     The special guiding ring sections  32  and inward extensions  34  are interposed between the regular spaced and connected ring sections  30  as shown in  FIGS.  1 ,  5  and  6   . 
     The end view of  FIG.  4    along with the details of  FIGS.  5  and  6    accentuate the formed cable vias. As with all features, these can be adjusted in size and location throughout the stamped flexure to meet functional needs. 
     The stamped medical hinged devices are stamped and rotated into the tubular shape of flexure  10  with the dies, completing the structures without steps that use time and are expensive and present risks. 
       FIGS.  7 - 9    show prior art assembled multi-pieces forming hinge assembly medical devices. Individual elements  40  are shown in  FIG.  7   . Individual elements  40  for guiding are mechanically joined together as shown in  FIG.  8   , so that the mechanically joined  42  individual elements  40  may be moved into curves  44 , as shown in  FIG.  9   . 
     The invention is new and unobvious from prior art devices. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention.