Endoscope steering section
First Claim
1. In a steerable endoscope or borescope of the type having a viewing head, a cable-bendable steering section proximally of said viewing head including a flexible sheath, a plurality of axially aligned washers each having a central passage and a plurality of peripheral bores therethrough, pairs of which are generally diametrically disposed, a plurality of steering cables passing through respective axially aligned peripheral bores of said washers, and spacer means disposed at the locations of at least certain peripheral bores associated with predetermined cables and serving to define bending locations for said steering section such that displacement of certain steering cables results in the bending of said steering section;
- the improvement wherein said washers are flat planar washers and said spacer means include pairs of hemispherical beads disposed over said predetermined cables between successive ones of said washers, said beads having spherical surfaces in rocking contact against one another and flat surfaces facing their associated washers.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A steering section for an endoscope or borescope employs a plurality of steering cables passing through peripheral bores in axially aligned flat washers. Spacer beads are strung on the cables between the washers to define hinges for the bending of the steering section. Pairs of hemispherical beads are employed for this purpose, and are disposed nose-to-nose, that is, with their spherical surfaces rocking on one another. Tuning spacer beads are provided in selected inter-washer spaces to limit the bending of the tuning section in one direction. To achieve the smallest possible dimension, the washers can be formed with an oval or elongated passageway.
261 Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a steerable endoscope or borescope of the type having a viewing head, a cable-bendable steering section proximally of said viewing head including a flexible sheath, a plurality of axially aligned washers each having a central passage and a plurality of peripheral bores therethrough, pairs of which are generally diametrically disposed, a plurality of steering cables passing through respective axially aligned peripheral bores of said washers, and spacer means disposed at the locations of at least certain peripheral bores associated with predetermined cables and serving to define bending locations for said steering section such that displacement of certain steering cables results in the bending of said steering section;
- the improvement wherein said washers are flat planar washers and said spacer means include pairs of hemispherical beads disposed over said predetermined cables between successive ones of said washers, said beads having spherical surfaces in rocking contact against one another and flat surfaces facing their associated washers.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A steerable endoscope or borescope of the type having a viewing head and a cable-bendable steering section disposed proximally of said viewing head including a flexible sheath, a plurality of washers each having a central passage and at least one pair of peripheral bores, said bores of each pair being disposed diametrically opposite each other, and said washers being stacked with said bores generally in registry with one another;
- at least one pair of steering cables, each cable passing through aligned respective bores of said washers, and pairs of pivot spacer means disposed between at least certain successive ones of said washers defining bending locations for bending the steering section in one plane when one pair of said steering cables is displaced; and
tuning spacer means disposed in selected spaes between said certain ones of said washers at the location of one of said bores only, in addition to the associated pivot spacer means, such that said steering section is limited more in its bending in one direction than in the opposite direction in said one plane. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- at least one pair of steering cables, each cable passing through aligned respective bores of said washers, and pairs of pivot spacer means disposed between at least certain successive ones of said washers defining bending locations for bending the steering section in one plane when one pair of said steering cables is displaced; and
Specification