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Deflectable endoscope

  • US 5,549,542 A
  • Filed: 11/17/1992
  • Issued: 08/27/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A remotely deflectable non-rigid tubular device, having a flexible steering section at a distal end along a longitudinal axis, the steering section comprising:

  • a hollow flexible tubular member; and

    a plurality of axially aligned actuating wires radially stacked and contained within said tubular device and attached along a first longitudinal side of said tubular member at axially spaced locations, said locations being radially spaced from the longitudinal axis of said tubular member and substantially in a single plane intersecting said axis so as to divide said steering section into a plurality of deflectable segments, wherein a cross-section of each of said actuating wires has a first area moment of inertia for bending about a first axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis which is substantially less than a second area moment of inertia of said cross-section about a second axis perpendicular to both said first axis and said longitudinal axis.

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