Patent ID: 7914445

Claim:
A torque-transmitting, variably-flexible, corrugated insertion device, comprising: 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; and a handle at said proximal end, said handle has an outer handle and an inner handle defining a vacuum plenum volume therebetween communicating between said outer jacket and said inner sleeve, and said handle has a vacuum port communicating with said vacuum plenum volume; a vacuum-activated device for transitioning said hollow body between a relatively flexible condition and a relatively stiff condition, said transitioning device being a vacuum connection; a sliding valve encircling said outer handle and having a vacuum inlet/outlet formed therein for communicating with said vacuum connection, said sliding valve sliding between a position in which said vacuum inlet/outlet communicates with said vacuum port and a position in which said vacuum inlet/outlet is sealed against said vacuum port; tendons in the form of wires at least partly disposed between said outer jacket and said inner sleeve and being free of at least one of said outer jacket and said inner sleeve, for maintaining said hollow body in said relatively flexible and relatively stiff conditions; and a corrugated tube disposed between said outer jacket and said inner sleeve for transmitting torque from said proximal end toward said distal end; said transitioning device applying suction between said outer jacket and said inner sleeve for frictionally locking said wires and said corrugated tube in place.