| US 7,578,786 B2 | ||
| Video endoscope | ||
| Dennis R. Boulais, Danielson, Conn. (US); Francis T. Macnamara, Newton Highlands, Mass. (US); and Andrew Peter Kirouac, Chelmsford, Mass. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc., Maple Grove, Minn. (US) | ||
| Filed on Sep. 30, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/956,007. | ||
| Application 10/956007 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/811781, filed on Mar. 29, 2004, granted, now 7,413,543. | ||
| Application 10/811781 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/406149, filed on Apr. 01, 2003, abandoned. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0197536 A1, Sep. 08, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. A61B 1/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 600—142 [600/141] | 6 Claims |
| 6. A medical device comprising:
a shaft having a distal end, a proximal end and one or more control cables therein that selectively tighten to steer the distal
end in a desired direction, and an articulation joint at or adjacent the distal end of the shaft, the articulation joint including:
a number of ring links, each including a first pair of forwardly extending tabs that extend from a first rim of the ring link,
wherein each forwardly extending tab has an integrally formed pin that extends radially inwards from the tab, and a second
pair of rearwardly extending tabs that extend from a second rim of the ring link, wherein each rearwardly extending tab has
a hole therein that is configured to receive an integrally formed pin of a forwardly extending tab of an adjacent ring link,
and
wherein the rearwardly extending tabs have a beveled leading edge.
|