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:
Jun. 16, 2015
Filed:
Nov. 15, 2010
Katherine D. Stoy, Mountain View, CA (US);
Giuseppe Maria Prisco, Mountain View, CA (US);
Samuel Kwok Wai AU, Mountain View, CA (US);
Carolyn Fenech, Campbell, CA (US);
Katherine D. Stoy, Mountain View, CA (US);
Giuseppe Maria Prisco, Mountain View, CA (US);
Samuel Kwok Wai Au, Mountain View, CA (US);
Carolyn Fenech, Campbell, CA (US);
INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A surgical device can include a tube comprising a wall having a plurality of slits oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tube. Each of the slits may be defined by opposing surfaces. The surgical device can further include a force transmission element coupled to the tube. In a flexible state of the tube, at least some of the opposing surfaces defining respective slits are separated from one another, and in a stiffened state of the tube, a force exerted on the force transmission element causes the opposing surfaces of each slit to contact one another.