Patent ID: 9351630
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A flexible endoscope shaft with a shaft body which, viewed in a longitudinal direction of the endoscope shaft, comprises: at least two shaft portions with different degrees of flexibility; wherein at least one shaft portion is composed of at least one spring element, and wherein all spring elements of the shaft portions, which, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft body, are arranged proximally from an outer distal shaft portion, and are designed as at least two reversibly deformable straight rods extending in the longitudinal direction of the shaft body and wound helically about each other; wherein, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft body from a distal end to a proximal end, each of the shaft portions having at least two reversibly deformable straight rods has at least one additional reversibly deformable straight rod compared with a previous shaft portion having at least two reversibly deformable straight rods, the at least one additional reversibly deformable straight rod being integrally bonded to the at least two reversibly deformable straight rods of the respective shaft portion at a plurality of positions along respective lengths of the at least two reversibly deformable straight rods; wherein the at least one additional reversibly deformable straight rod, extending in the longitudinal direction of the shaft body, is arranged laterally on the at least two reversibly deformable straight rods of the respective shaft portion.