The University of Tokyo

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Siyang Zuo

Ken Masamune

Noriaki Yamanaka

Takahiro Tokumiya

Takeyoshi Dohi

Kazuo Iijima

Kiyoshi Matsumiya

A medical tube which is highly flexible and has a very small diameter and a flexibility-variable mechanism having the medical tube are provided. The medical tube includes an interior tube and a plurality of annular segments of a cylindrical shape into which the interior tube is inserted. The medical tube is configured by sequentially connecting the plurality of annular segments while the interior tube is inserted inside of the plurality of annular segments. Each annular segment includes a fitting portion that allows any other annular segment to be fitted to the annular segment, and a fitted portion which may be fitted on the fitting portion of any other annular segment, which has a diameter that increases toward an end of the annular segment and includes at least one slit extending in a direction crossing a diametric direction. When the spacing of the slit is narrowed, the fitting portion of the annular segment and the fitted portion of any other annular segment are engaged with each other so that the annular segments are fixed to each other.

Medical tube and flexibility-variable mechanism with the same

There is provided a flexibility/rigidity adjustable apparatus which can change over its state between a flexible state in which such apparatus is freely bendable and a rigid state in which such bending is restricted when in use. A flexible closing coverwhich can expand/shrink is provided on an outer circumferenceof a flexible tube. A latching memberwhich moves together with the closing coveris provided, and a latching-member receiving partwith which the latching membercan engage is provided at the outer circumferenceof the tube. A closed spaceformed between the closing coverand the tubeis connected to an air inlet/outlet part. As the air is evacuated through the inlet/outlet partto change the pressurized condition of the closed spacefrom an atmospheric pressure condition to a negative pressure condition, the closing coverreduces its diameter around an axis, and the latching memberis caused to engage with the latching-member receiving part. As air is supplied in the closed spaceto make the interior thereof in an atmospheric pressure condition, the closing coverexpands, and engagement of latching memberwith the latching-member receiving partis released, so that the tubebecomes a flexible state from a rigid state.

Flexibility/rigidity adjustable apparatus

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Tokyo, Japan

Siyang Zuo