Patent ID: 8292802

Claim:
A method for transmitting torque and variably flexing an insertion device for receiving an instrument, the method comprising the following steps: providing a hollow body having a proximal end with an entrance for receiving an instrument, a distal end with a tip for protrusion of the instrument, an outer jacket and an inner sleeve; maintaining the hollow body in relatively flexible and relatively stiff conditions with wires disposed at least partly between the outer jacket and the inner sleeve and being free of at least one of the outer jacket and the inner sleeve; transmitting torque along the hollow body with a corrugated tube disposed between the outer jacket and the inner sleeve; and applying suction to create a vacuum between the outer jacket and the inner sleeve for placing the hollow body in the relatively stiff condition and relieving the vacuum for placing the hollow body in the relatively flexible condition with a transitioning device to frictionally lock the wires and the corrugated tube in place with the vacuum created by the applied suction.