Patent ID: 11930261
Assignee: GUIDANCE AIRWAY SOLUTIONS, LLC
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  H  B  G | IPC A  B  G  H

Claim 0:
1. An insertion shaft for an electrically actuated scope, the insertion shaft comprising:
at least two shape-memory-alloy (SMA) wires having proximal ends each anchored to a respective proximal anchoring point located at a proximal end of the insertion shaft or at a predetermined location along the insertion shaft and having distal ends each anchored to a respective distal anchoring point located between a distal end of the insertion shaft and the proximal anchoring points, the SMA wires being disposed around a central axis and extending along the insertion shaft, wherein each of the SMA wires comprises two-way memory material configured to contract when heated to or above a first predetermined temperature and return to a predetermined original length thereof upon cooling to or below a second predetermined temperature below the first predetermined temperature;
wherein for each of the SMA wires, a length of the SMA wire between the proximal anchoring point and the distal anchoring point to which the wire is anchored is larger than a length of the insertion shaft between the proximal anchoring point and the distal anchoring point to which the SMA wire is anchored, such that each of the SMA wires is incorporated in the insertion shaft with a predetermined slack;
wherein the insertion shaft is configured to be joined to a control apparatus, such that each SMA wire is configured to be independently and selectively heated by application of electrical current from the control apparatus, to yield a bending of the bendable portion.