Patent ID: 8007434

Claim:
A shaft for an endoscope comprising: a first elongate shaft portion, a second elongate shaft portion, and a third elongate shaft portion, each elongate shaft portion joined end to end with at least one other shaft portion such that each elongate shaft portion includes at least one end face continuously abutting at least one end face of at least one other elongate shaft portion; and a lumen extending therethrough; wherein the first and second elongate shaft portions are made of different materials, have different geometries, and have different flexibilities; wherein the third elongate shaft portion is made of a different material, has different geometries, and has a different flexibility compared to the second elongate shaft portion; wherein the first, second, and third elongate shaft portions are tubular and have a wall; and further comprising a fourth elongate shaft portion connected to the third elongate shaft portion, wherein the fourth elongate shaft portion is made of a different material, has different geometries, and has a different flexibility compared to the third elongate shaft portion; wherein the different geometries include different patterns of openings through the wall; wherein the geometries include a plurality of slits extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein at least one of the plurality of slits, the location of slits, the frequency of slits, the orientation of the slits, the size of the slits and the depth of the slits are varied to vary the flexibility of the shaft; wherein the first, second, and third elongate shaft portions each include a locking member on at least one end, wherein the locking member on one elongate shaft portion is configured to couple with the locking member on another elongate shaft portion.