The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 2019
Filed:
Apr. 29, 2016
Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Los Altos Hills, CA (US);
Vincent Duindam, San Francisco, CA (US);
Mark E. Froggatt, Blacksburg, VA (US);
Eric E. Sanborn, Blacksburg, VA (US);
INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A flexible tool comprising an optical fiber and a rigid member. The optical fiber includes a proximal end, a distal end, an intermediate portion between the proximal end and the distal end, and an adjustable bend between the proximal end and the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion is fixed within the rigid member, wherein the rigid member is substantially a cylinder with a flat surface along an axial length of the cylinder, and wherein the intermediate portion is constrained to have a single degree of freedom that is translational substantially along an axis defined by the optical fiber at the intermediate portion.