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:
Jan. 28, 2014
Filed:
May. 10, 2012
David J. Danitz, Cupertino, CA (US);
David E. Hegeman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Adam C. Gold, San Francisco, CA (US);
David J. Danitz, Cupertino, CA (US);
David E. Hegeman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Adam C. Gold, San Francisco, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A shaft assembly that has a flexible shaft and a series of alternating rigid beads around the flexible shaft that ensure the shaft is kept rigid while in any position when the shaft is locked. The flexible shaft having a proximal end that is operatively coupled to the handle assembly and a distal end that operatively coupled to the gripping assembly. The shaft assembly also has a rigid element that can be placed in a first position where the rigid element supports the shaft in a manner where the shaft cannot be bent, and in a second position where the shaft can be bent. The series of alternating beads is made up of an alternating series of 2 types of beads.