Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Kathryn Jinks

Dino Francesco Cuscuna

A bending neck comprising a plurality of pivotally connected hollow links is formed by machining a tube to form individual, pivotally connected links. A second tube may be located inside the first tube and simultaneously machined with the first tube. Grooves are formed on opposite sides of the outer surface of the second tube to provide a passageway for control cables which control the articulation of the links. In a second implementation indentations are formed in the side of the single tube to form ring-like projections into the inner lumen of each link, through which the control cables may pass.

Single piece bending neck for an articulating ultrasound probe

A bending neck for an articulating ultrasound probe has a variable configuration whereby different sections of the bending neck can be bent into different curvatures. In one implementation a rigid member is extended into the bending neck, setting the deflection point for a section of the bending neck at the end of the rigid member. In another implementation the links of the bending neck have different lengths, causing different sections to have different radii of maximum curvature. In another implementation the bending neck is encased in a sheath which exhibits regions of different durometer, thickness, or spacing of points of attachment to the bending neck.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Kathryn Jinks