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US 10,478,051 B2Granted
Endoscopic instrument
AssigneeRichard Wolf GmbH
InventorsRudolf Heimberger, Sebastian Buccheri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An endoscopic instrument with a shank which includes at least two segments which are connected to one another via diametrically opposite joints. Between axial face edges of the opposite joints facing one another a gap is present. The gap runs with at least one angular bend.
Claims18
An endoscopic instrument with a flexible shank, the flexible shank comprising:
- two diametrically opposed joints;
- and
- at least two segments connected to one another via the two diametrically opposed joints, wherein between axial face edges of the least two segments, which axial face edges are facing one another, a gap is present, wherein the gap runs in an angled manner at least once, wherein a width of the gap is constant along an entire extension of the gap in a non-angled position of the at least two segments, wherein the axial face edges of the segments which face one another, at least in a part region between the joints, run in a curved manner parallel to the axis at least once and/or comprise at least one angular bending, one of the axial face edges extending continuously from an area adjacent to one of the joints to an area adjacent to another one of the joints, another one of the axial face edges extending continuously from another area adjacent to the one of the joints to another area adjacent to the another one of the joints, wherein the one of the axial face edges is located at a constant distance from the another one of the axial face edges.
An endoscopic instrument with a flexible shank, the flexible shank comprising:
- two diametrically opposed joints;
- and
- at least two segments connected to one another via the two diametrically opposed joints, wherein between axial face edges of the least two segments, the axial face edges facing one another, one of the axial face edges and another one of the axial face edges defining a gap, wherein an entire extension of the gap has an essentially constant width when the at least two segments are aligned with each other, wherein the gap extends in an angled manner at least once, each of the axial face edges comprising a first apex portion and a second apex portion, the first apex portion defining a greatest axial extent of a respective one of the least two segments, the second apex portion being located axially inward of the first apex portion with respect to a longitudinal axis of the respective one of the at least two segments, the first apex portion of one of the at least two segments being located axially opposite the second apex portion of another one of the at least two segments, the second apex portion of the one of the at least two segments being located axially opposite the first apex portion of the another one of the at least two segments, wherein a first axial distance is defined between the first apex portion of the one of the at least two segments and the second apex portion of the another one of the at least two segments and a second axial distance is defined between the first apex portion of the another one of the at least two segments and the second apex portion of the another one of the at least two segments, the first axial distance being equal to less than the second axial distance, the one of the axial face edges extending continuously from an area adjacent to one of the joints to an area adjacent to another one of the joints, the another one of the axial face edges extending continuously from another area adjacent to the one of the joints to another area adjacent to the another one of the joints, wherein each portion of an entire extension of the one of the axial face edges is located at a same distance from each portion of an entire extension of the another one of the axial face edges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.