Claims
- 1. An endoscope having an externally-controlled propulsion mechanism at the distal end, and at least one transmitter at the distal end for transmitting waves of energy to receivers adapted to be disposed on the surface of a patient for tracking the position of the distal end of said endoscope in a passage of the patient, said endoscope comprising a sheath having a window at its distal end enclosing bundles of optical fibers terminating at said window, said sheath having an inner plastic tube, an outer plastic tube, a braided metal tube between the inner and outer tubes, and a material having a shapr melting point slightly above body temperature, said material filling the interstices of the braided wire tube and the space between the plastic tubes in order that the sheath be rigid, and separate heating wires disposed in separate sections of the sheath for selective warming of said material above said melting point, thereby to make selected sections flexible.
- 2. An endoscope having a sheath comprised of an inner plastic tube, a braided metal tube over the inner tube, and a plastic outer tube over the braided metal tube with a material in the interstices of the braided metal tube and the space between the inner and outer plastic tubes which has a very sharp melting point slightly above body temperature, said sheath having different sections wound with insulated heating wires around the braided metal tube and inside the outer tube, and separate insulated wires inside the outer tube to the different heating wires for control of the rigidity of said sheath by sections from the proximal end of the endoscope.
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
The invention described herein was made in the performance of work under a NASA contract and is subject to the provisions of Section 305 of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568 (72 Stat. 435; 42 USC 2457).
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2140994 |
Feb 1973 |
DEX |
1278965 |
Nov 1961 |
FRX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Jacobson, B. Servo Tracks Pills in Human Body, Electronics, Mar. 22, 1963, pp. 58-60. |