Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for remotely orienting the distant tip of a flexible borescope cable to point in a desired direction utilizes a plurality of vertabrae-like annular disks disposed transversely within the hollow interior of the distal end of the flexible cable. Fine, flexible wires fabricated from a shape memory effect (SME) alloy are fixedly attached to outermost disk, and extend longitudinally backwards slidably through aligned holes in the other disks, and slidably through hollow flexible tubes rearward of the innermost of the disks. Electrical power supplied to flexible conductors at either end of each SME alloy wires from a controllable source of electrical current at the proximal end of the flexible borescope cable permits heating a selected SME alloy wire to a transition temperature which causes the wire to assume a memory length different from its length at ambient temperature, producing a tensional force on the end disk which results in a bending moment being imparted to the flexible cable enclosing the disk.

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First Claim