Endoscopy system & elements thereof
AssigneeI.Q. Endoscopes Ltd
InventorsAndrew MILLER, Patrick WARD-BOOTH, Daniel Peterson GODFREY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments provide a bendable member for an imaging endoscope and an imaging endoscope incorporating said bendable member. The bendable member comprises a series of constructional elements arranged longitudinally in series along the bendable member and formed integrally with a plurality of living hinge elements that permit bending between adjacent constructional elements, wherein, when the bendable member is straight, a first living hinge element of the plurality of living hinge elements has a different bending stiffness to a second living hinge element of the plurality of living hinge elements.
Claims15
A bendable member for an imaging endoscope, said bendable member comprising a series of constructional elements arranged longitudinally in series along the bendable member and formed integrally with a plurality of living hinge elements that permit bending between adjacent constructional elements, wherein, when the bendable member is straight, a first living hinge element of the plurality of living hinge elements has a different bending stiffness to a second living hinge element of the plurality of living hinge elements.
An imaging endoscope comprising:
- a hand controller;
- an insertion section having a proximal end connected to the hand controller and a distal end for insertion into a subject, wherein a distal tip assembly is located at the distal end of the insertion section and a steering section is located adjacent and proximal to the distal tip, said steering section being bendable for steering by operation of the hand controller;
- wherein at least a part of the insertion section comprises a bendable member, said bendable member comprising a series of constructional elements arranged longitudinally in series along the bendable member and formed integrally with a plurality of living hinge elements that permit bending between adjacent constructional elements, wherein, when the bendable member is straight, a first living hinge element of the plurality of living hinge elements has a different bending stiffness to a second living hinge element of the plurality of living hinge elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.