公开(公告)号：US20210378485A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-09

申请号：US17408935

申请日：2021-08-23

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Tomoyuki KUGO ,  Takeshi TAKAHASHI ,  Tomohiro KITANAKA

IPC: A61B1/005

Abstract: A variable-rigidity device includes a tubular member including a plurality of high-rigidity portions and low-rigidity portions arranged along a longitudinal axis; a core member arranged on an inner side of the tubular member and including a plurality of high-rigidity core portions and low-rigidity core portions; and an actuator configured to relatively move the core member with respect to the tubular member, in which the actuator is configured to cause a first force to repeatedly fluctuate with a passage of time, the first force causing the core member to relatively move with respect to the tubular member in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis

公开(公告)号：US20210085156A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-25

申请号：US17109251

申请日：2020-12-02

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Tomoyuki KUGO

IPC: A61B1/005

Abstract: A rigidity variable device includes: an elongated main body unit; a plurality of metal high-rigidity portions arranged with gaps along an longitudinal axis of the main body unit in the main body unit, the plurality of high-rigidity portions being made of metal; and a low-rigidity portion including a plurality of shape-memory alloy wires that intervene between high-rigidity portions adjacent to each other among the high-rigidity portions, and are apart in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis in the main body unit.

公开(公告)号：US20210085155A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-25

申请号：US17109231

申请日：2020-12-02

Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION

Inventor： Tomoyuki KUGO

IPC: A61B1/005 ,  A61L29/02 ,  A61L29/14

Abstract: A rigidity variable device includes: a main body unit having an elongated shape; a plurality of higher rigidity portions made of metal, the higher rigidity portions being included in the main body unit and arrayed in a separated manner in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the main body unit; and one or a plurality of lower rigidity portions included in the main body unit and including a shape memory alloy coil disposed between adjacent ones of the higher rigidity portions and formed by winding a wire around an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. A rigidity of the shape memory alloy coil increases when heated.