Endoscope with three-wire steering mechanism

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Diagnosis & Surgery (A61B)

Published April 7th, 2026

Detected April 7th, 2026

Summary

USPTO granted patent US12593965B2 to AMBU A/S for an endoscope with a three-wire steering mechanism. The invention includes a handle, insertion cord with bending section, and a steering mechanism using three steering wires radially spaced around the insertion cord axis for controlled navigation. The patent contains 18 claims and covers the system configuration including the endoscope and monitor.

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What changed

USPTO officially granted patent US12593965B2 to AMBU A/S on April 7, 2026, covering an endoscope with a three-wire steering mechanism designed by inventors Ismail Kuru and Günter Wilhelm Schütz. The patent describes a steering system with first and second input wheels rotatably supported by the handle, and three steering wires controlling bending movement of the insertion cord's bending section, with each wire radially spaced from the insertion cord axis and angularly spaced circumferentially. The patent claims priority to application filed June 22, 2022.

For manufacturers and medical device companies operating in the endoscopic equipment space, this patent establishes intellectual property rights that may affect freedom-to-operate considerations for competing device development. Healthcare providers utilizing endoscopic procedures may see limited direct impact but should monitor for potential licensing effects on available equipment. The patent's three-wire steering design represents a specific technical approach that is now protected for AMBU A/S in the US market.

What to do next

Monitor for potential licensing opportunities
Review patent claims for freedom-to-operate analysis

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Grants

Endoscope with a three-wire steering mechanism

Grant US12593965B2 Kind: B2 Apr 07, 2026

Assignee

AMBU A/S

Inventors

Ismail Kuru, Günter Wilhelm Schütz

Abstract

An endoscope and a system including the endoscope and a monitor. The endoscope includes a handle; an insertion cord including an insertion tube, a bending section and a distal tip unit and defining an insertion cord axis; a steering mechanism configured to swivel the distal tip unit and including: a first input wheel and a second input wheel, both rotatably supported by the handle; and a first steering wire, a second steering wire and a third steering wire, all steering wires provided for controlling a bending movement of the bending section, connected to the first input wheel and/or the second input wheel, and extending through the insertion cord, and each steering wire radially spaced from the insertion cord axis and angularly spaced with respect to each other in the circumferential direction of the insertion cord.