Endoscope shaft frame member with wavy slot

• US 20100331618A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Galperin, Nison
• Application Number:
  US12/456,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20100331618A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00071 Insertion part of the endoscope body A61B1/0055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/005 Flexible endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An endoscope shaft frame member including a general tube shape with a section having a general helical shaped slot along a length of the section. The slot includes a general wavy shape along a length of the slot.

Claims

1. An endoscope shaft frame member comprising a general tube shape with a section having a generally helical shaped slot along a length of the section, wherein the slot comprises a general wavy shape along a length of the slot.

2. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 1 wherein the frame member comprises a shape memory alloy.

3. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 1 wherein the slot has a general uniform width between opposing surfaces of the section at the slot at the length of the slot.

4. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 1 wherein opposing surfaces of the section at the slot have a wavy pattern.

5. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 1 wherein opposing surfaces of the section at the slot undulate.

6. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 1 wherein the slot forms the section with a general uniform pitched coil shape.

7. An endoscope comprising:

a handle section; and

a shaft connected to the handle section, wherein the shaft comprises an endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 1.

8. An endoscope shaft frame member comprising a section having a general spiral shape formed by a generally helical shaped slot with a substantially uniform width between opposing surfaces of the section at the slot, wherein the slot is non-straight along its generally helical shape at the section.

9. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 8 wherein the slot undulates at the section.

10. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 8 wherein the slot has a general wavy shape at the section.

11. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 8 wherein the frame member comprises a shape memory alloy.

12. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 8 wherein the frame member comprises metal.

13. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 8 wherein the opposing surfaces of the section at the slot have a wavy pattern.

14. An endoscope shaft frame member as in claim 8 wherein the slot forms the section with a general uniform pitched coil shape.

15. A method comprising:

providing a general tube shaped member; and

forming a general helical shaped slot along a section of the tube shaped member, wherein the general helical slot comprises a general wavy shape along its length.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein forming the general helical slot at the section comprises forming the slot with a general uniform width between opposing surfaces of the section at the slot.

17. A method as in claim 15 wherein forming the general helical slot at the section comprises forming the slot with opposing surfaces of the section at the slot having a general wavy shape.

18. A method as in claim 15 wherein forming the general helical slot at the section comprises forming the slot with opposing surfaces of the section at the slot having a general undulating shape.

19. A method as in claim 15 wherein forming the general helical slot at the section comprises forming the slot with opposing surfaces of the section at the slot having a general ripple shape.

20. A method as in claim 15 wherein forming the general helical slot at the section comprises forming the slot with opposing surfaces of the section at the slot each having a general oscillating frequency.