Flexible shaft

Claim 2

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution, said slot having a substantial length and width of up to about 0.075 of an inch, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches, a helical angle of up to about 20 degrees, and a ratio of amplitude of said serpentine path to pitch in the range from greater than 0.1 to 0.5.

Claim 3

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution.

Claim 4

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution.

Claim 5

The flexible shaft of claim 2, further comprising, a slot width of up to about five thirty seconds of an inch, a ratio of amplitude of said serpentine path to pitch in the range from greater than 0.1 to 0.5 and a helical angle of up to about 20 degrees.

Claim 6

The flexible shaft of claim 2, wherein said slot is under cut at an angle to a radial line or a plane tangential to the surface of the shaft at the slot, said angle being at least about 15 degrees from the perpendicular.

Claim 7

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and a ratio of amplitude of said serpentine path to pitch in the range from greater than 0.1 to 0.5.

Claim 8

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and a ratio of amplitude of said serpentine path to pitch in the range from greater than 0.1 to 0.5.

Claim 9

The flexible shaft of claim 5, further comprising, a slot width of up to about 0.075 of an inch, a helical angle of up to about 20 degrees, and said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution.

Claim 10

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and the ratio of the diameter of the inside diameter of said shaft to the outside diameter of said shaft is in the range from about 1:1.2 to about 1:3.

Claim 11

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width, said tubular member having a diameter in the range from about 0.15 to four inches and the ratio of the diameter of the inside diameter of said shaft to the outside diameter of said shaft is in the range from about 1:1.2 to about 1:3.

Claim 12

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width and said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution.

Claim 13

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first end; (ii) a second end; and (iii) a center section, said center section being positioned between said first end and said second end, said center section having a slot extending in a generally helical serpentine path around and along said tubular member center section, said slot having a substantial length and width and said helical path having from about 1 to about 4 cycles per revolution.

Claim 14

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iv) a center section, said center section having a plurality of slots along a serpentine path, said plurality of slots having a substantial length and width extending within a region around said tubular member, wherein at least one of said plurality of slots follows a generally helical path around and along said tubular member.

Claim 15

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iv) a center section, said center section having a plurality of slots along a serpentine path, said plurality of slots having a substantial length and width extending within a region around said tubular member, wherein at least one of said plurality of slots follows a generally helical path around and along said tubular member.

Claim 16

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iii) a center section, said center section having a slot along a serpentine path, said slot having a substantial length and width extending in a generally helical path within a region around and along the tubular member and being at least partially filled with a resilient material; wherein said serpentine path forms a plurality of teeth and complimentary recesses on opposite sides of said slot, said slot having sufficient width to form an unbound joint, said slot width and serpentine path permitting limited movement in all directions between the teeth and the recesses, thereby providing limited flexibility in all directions upon application of tensile, compressive, or torsion forces to said shaft.

Claim 17

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iii) a center section, said center section having a slot along a serpentine path, said slot having a substantial length and width extending in a generally helical path within a region around and along the tubular member and being at least partially filled with a resilient material; wherein said serpentine path forms a plurality of teeth and complimentary recesses on opposite sides of said slot, said slot having sufficient width to form an unbound joint, said slot width and serpentine path permitting limited movement in all directions between the teeth and the recesses, thereby providing limited flexibility in all directions upon application of tensile, compressive, or torsion forces to said shaft.

Claim 18

The flexible shaft of claim 10, wherein said resilient material is an elastomer compound of sufficient thickness to encapsulate substantially the entire shaft thus forming an enclosed member.

Claim 19

The flexible shaft of claim 11, wherein said center section slot is a plurality of slots, at least two of said plurality of slots following a serpentine path around and along said tubular member.

Claim 20

The flexible shaft of claim 10, wherein said center section slot is a plurality of slots, wherein at least two of said plurality of slots follow a serpentine path around and along the tubular member.

Claim 21

The flexible shaft of claim 10, wherein the ratio of the diameter of the inside diameter of said shaft to the outside diameter of said shaft is in the range from about 1:1.2 to about 1:3, the slot width is in the range from about 0.005 inch to 0.075 inch, in the ratio of the amplitude of said serpentine path to the pitch of said slot is in the range from greater than 0.1 to about 0.5, said helical path has a helix angle in the range of about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees, said shaft has a diameter in the range from about 0.15 inch to about 4.00 inch.

Claim 22

The flexible shaft of claim 10, wherein said slot is under cut at an angle to a radial line or a plane tangential to the surface of the shaft at the slot, said angle being at least about 15 degrees from the perpendicular.

Claim 23

The flexible shaft of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of slots, wherein at least one of said plurality of slots starts on a first plane perpendicular to said tubular member's long axis and at least another of said plurality of slots starts on a sequential plane perpendicular to said tubular member's long axis.

Claim 24

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iii) a center section, said center section having a slot along a serpentine path, said slot having a substantial length and width extending in a generally helical path within a region around and along the tubular member, said center section being covered with a resilient elastomer material of sufficient thickness to encapsulate substantially the entire shaft to form an enclosed member, wherein said serpentine path forms a plurality of teeth and complimentary recesses on opposite sides of said slot, said slot having sufficient width form an unbound joint, said slot width and serpentine path permitting limited movement in all direction between the teeth and the recesses, thereby providing limited flexibility in all directions upon application of tensile, compressive, or torsion forces to said shaft.

Claim 25

A flexible shaft comprising an elongated tubular member of substantial wall thickness, said tubular member having: (i) a first connecting section at a first end of said tubular member; (ii) a second connecting section at a second end of said tubular member; and (iii) a center section, said center section having a slot along a serpentine path, said slot having a substantial length and width extending in a generally helical path within a region around and along the tubular member, said center section being covered with a resilient elastomer material of sufficient thickness to encapsulate substantially the entire shaft to form an enclosed member, wherein said serpentine path forms a plurality of teeth and complimentary recesses on opposite sides of said slot, said slot having sufficient width form an unbound joint, said slot width and serpentine path permitting limited movement in all direction between the teeth and the recesses, thereby providing limited flexibility in all directions upon application of tensile, compressive, or torsion forces to said shaft.

Claim 26

The flexible shaft of claim 17, wherein said center section slot is a plurality of slots, wherein at least two of said plurality of slots follow a serpentine path around and along the tubular member.

Claim 27

The flexible shaft of claim 17, wherein the ratio of the diameter of the inside diameter of said shaft to the outside diameter of said shaft is in the range from about 1:1.2 to about 1:3, the slot width is in the range from about 0.005 inch to 0.075 inch, in the ratio of the amplitude of said serpentine path to the pitch of said slot is in the range from greater than 0.1 to about 0.5, said helical path has a helix angle in the range of about 10 degrees to about 20 degrees, said shaft has a diameter in the range from about 0.15 inch to about 4.00 inch.

Claim 28

The flexible shaft of claim 17, wherein said slot is under cut at an angle to a radial line or a plane tangential to the surface of the shaft at the slot, said angle being at least about 15 degrees from the perpendicular.

Claim 29

The flexible shaft of claim 17, wherein at least one of said plurality of slots starts on a first plane perpendicular to said tubular member's long axis and at least another of said plurality of slots starts on a sequential plane perpendicular to said tubular member's long axis.