F16C 1/00
Flexible shafts
Official title: Flexible shafts (flexible shafts in dental machines for boring or cutting A61C1/18); Mechanical means for transmitting movement in a flexible sheathing
F16C1/00 (Flexible shafts) appears on 1,892 US grants and 1,211 published applications in this corpus.
Search patents in F16C- Granted patents
- 1,892
- Published applications
- 1,211
- Assignees
- 828
- Inventors
- 2,772
- Latest grant
- 22 Sep 2026
Filings by year
| Year | Granted patents | Published applications |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 23 | 0 |
| 1977 | 23 | 0 |
| 1978 | 28 | 0 |
| 1979 | 18 | 0 |
| 1980 | 34 | 0 |
| 1981 | 25 | 0 |
| 1982 | 29 | 0 |
| 1983 | 22 | 0 |
| 1984 | 28 | 0 |
| 1985 | 24 | 0 |
| 1986 | 29 | 0 |
| 1987 | 37 | 0 |
| 1988 | 38 | 0 |
| 1989 | 71 | 0 |
| 1990 | 48 | 0 |
| 1991 | 35 | 0 |
| 1992 | 41 | 0 |
| 1993 | 47 | 0 |
| 1994 | 30 | 0 |
| 1995 | 36 | 0 |
| 1996 | 41 | 0 |
| 1997 | 51 | 0 |
| 1998 | 56 | 0 |
| 1999 | 38 | 0 |
| 2000 | 53 | 0 |
| 2001 | 54 | 18 |
| 2002 | 40 | 36 |
| 2003 | 35 | 36 |
| 2004 | 29 | 38 |
| 2005 | 24 | 34 |
| 2006 | 23 | 42 |
| 2007 | 14 | 33 |
| 2008 | 11 | 26 |
| 2009 | 20 | 53 |
| 2010 | 22 | 32 |
| 2011 | 16 | 47 |
| 2012 | 34 | 39 |
| 2013 | 36 | 67 |
| 2014 | 45 | 69 |
| 2015 | 55 | 50 |
| 2016 | 36 | 66 |
| 2017 | 54 | 81 |
| 2018 | 63 | 88 |
| 2019 | 80 | 72 |
| 2020 | 76 | 65 |
| 2021 | 58 | 62 |
| 2022 | 39 | 34 |
| 2023 | 43 | 20 |
| 2024 | 32 | 56 |
| 2025 | 29 | 28 |
| 2026 | 19 | 19 |
By publication year. Applications have been published since 2001. 2026 runs to 8 Oct.
Subgroups
Granted patents
Recent patents
- Spring assemblies with variable flexibility for use with push-cables and pipe inspection systems22 Sep 2026US 12,743,014 B2Seescan, Inc.
- System for controlling a brake system of a towed vehicle18 Aug 2026US 12,709,250 B1NSA RV Products Inc.
- Housing11 Aug 2026US 12,703,546 B2Hi-Lex Corporation
- Two-layer coil structure26 May 2026US 12,637,806 B2Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd.
- Mechanical control device with improved control cable coupling26 May 2026US 12,638,041 B2Minebea AccessSolutions France
- Motor-vehicle lock1 Oct 2026US 2026/0298283 A1Kiekert AG
- Systems, actuator apparatuses, and methods for automated machine control1 Oct 2026US 2026/0299583 A1Dianomix Inc.
- Covering shelf apparatus for a vehicle and a control method for same10 Sep 2026US 2026/0264619 A1Hyundai Motor Company
- System for controlling a brake system of a towed vehicle20 Aug 2026US 2026/0241899 A1NSA RV Products Inc.
- Electromechanical actuator assembly with mechanical override feature16 Jul 2026US 2026/0200370 A1B/E Aerospace, Inc.
Most cited
By later US patents
- Flexible structure1,770US 6,012,494 ADeutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. · 2000
- Flexible shaft1,751US 6,053,922 A2000
- Atherectomy system with a clutch1,711US 5,002,553 ASurgical Systems & Instruments, Inc. · 1991
- Flexible shaft components1,670US 6,447,518 B12002
- Shaft, e.g., for an electro-mechanical surgical device1,633US 8,960,519 B2Covidien LP · 2015