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An endoscope comprising a control section and a shaft extending from the control section. The shaft has a frame with a one-piece tube along a majority of a length of the shaft. The tube comprises a superelastic alloy and slots into the tube along at least one-section of the tube. Superelastic proper

An endoscope comprising a control section and a shaft extending from the control section. The shaft has a frame with a one-piece tube along a majority of a length of the shaft. The tube comprises a superelastic alloy and slots into the tube along at least one-section of the tube. Superelastic properties of the superelastic alloy allow the tube to bend proximate the slots without substantial permanent deformation of the tube. The superelastic alloy provides the shaft with adequate stiffness and torque resistance to be inserted into a patient's body.

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1. An endoscope comprising: a control section; and a shaft extending from the control section, the shaft comprising a generally tube shaped frame member; wherein the shaft comprises a substantially uniform outer dimension along substantially an entire length of the shaft, and wherein the tub

1. An endoscope comprising: a control section; and a shaft extending from the control section, the shaft comprising a generally tube shaped frame member; wherein the shaft comprises a substantially uniform outer dimension along substantially an entire length of the shaft, and wherein the tube shaped frame member provides the shaft with at least two sections along the length of the shaft having two different stiffness properties, wherein an offset pattern of staggered slots is formed in the frame member to provide the different stiffness properties, wherein the frame member comprises a tube wall defining a center channel, wherein the tube wall has a substantially uniform tube wall thickness and a substantially uniform outer diameter, wherein the slots extend into the tube wall a distance about two-thirds or less than the outer diameter of the tube wall, and wherein the endoscope further comprises active deflection control wires and wire sheaths connected to the control section, wherein the wire sheaths each comprise an elongate solid tube made of superelastic alloy material. 2. An endoscope as in claim 1 wherein the frame member comprises a first section with a first pattern of slots therein and a second section with a second pattern of slots therein.3. An endoscope as in claim 2 wherein the first pattern comprises a first spacing between the slots and the slots having a first slot width, and the second pattern comprises a second different spacing between the slots and a second different slot width.4. An endoscope as in claim 2 wherein the first pattern comprises the slots extending into the frame member in a first repeating pattern of different directions and the second pattern comprising the slots extending into the frame member in a second repeating pattern of different directions which are at least partially different from the first repeating pattern of directions.5. An endoscope as in claim 2 wherein the first pattern comprises the slots having a first depth and the second pattern comprises the slots having a second different depth.6. The endoscope shaft of claim 1 wherein each slot depth extends beyond a radius of the frame member.7. An endoscope as in claim 1 wherein the frame member comprises a center axis along the center channel, wherein the slots extend into the tube wall generally perpendicular to the center axis, and wherein the tube wall does not have holes parallel to the center axis such that the control wires extend through the center channel and not through the tube wall.8. An endoscope as in claim 1 wherein the shaft further comprises at least one other flexible frame member connected in series to the tube shaped frame member to form a frame of the shaft.9. In an endoscope comprising a shaft and an image transferring system passing through the shaft, the improvement comprising: the shaft having a frame comprising a first frame member having a generally tubular shape connected to a second bendable frame member having a generally tubular shape, wherein the second member is connected in series with the first member, wherein the second frame member is comprised of superelastic material with a plurality of slots in different directions into lateral sides of the second member, wherein the second frame member comprises a tube shape with a uniform outer diameter, a center channel and a tube wall, wherein the slots extend into the second frame member a distance between one-halt and two-thirds the outer diameter, wherein the slots on one of the lateral sides of the second frame member are offset from and interleaved with the slots on an opposite one of the lateral sides of the second frame member, and wherein the shaft comprises an active deflection section, wherein the second frame member is located in only the active deflection section, and wherein the endoscope further comprises an active deflection system comprising a pull wire and a wire sheath, the wire sheath comprising an elongate solid sheath tube m ade of superelastic alloy material loaded in compression by tension on the pull wire, and wherein the pull wire extends along a channel inside the sheath tube. 10. An endoscope as in claim 9 wherein the second frame member comprises a center axis along the center channel, wherein the slots extend into the tube generally perpendicular to the center axis, and wherein the tube wall does not have holes parallel to the center axis such that the pull wire extends through the center channel and not through the tube wall.11. In an endoscope comprising a control section and a shaft extending from the control section, the improvement comprising: the shaft having a frame with a one-piece tube, wherein the tube comprises a superelastic alloy and a plurality of slots into the tube along at least one section of the tube, wherein the slots into a first side of the tube are offset from and interleaved with the slots on an opposed second side of the tube, wherein the slots have a depth into the tube a distance of about two-thirds or less than an outer diameter of the tube, wherein the tube comprises a uniform wall thickness and a uniform outer diameter, and wherein superelastic properties of the superelastic alloy allow the tube to bend proximate the slots without substantial permanent deformation of the tube and the superelastic alloy Provides the shaft with adequate column strength, flexibility, and torque resistance to be inserted into a patient's body, wherein the tube comprises a center channel along a center axis, wherein the slots extend into the tube generally perpendicular to the center axis, and wherein the tube has a tube wall surrounding the center axis and having the uniform wall thickness which does not have holes parallel to the center axis such that control wires from the control section extend through the center channel and not through the tube wall, and wherein the endoscope further comprises wire sheaths surrounding the control wires, wherein the wire sheaths each comprise an elongate solid sheath tube made of superelastic alloy material loaded in compression by tension on the control wires. 12. In an endoscope comprising a shaft, an imaging and illumination system passing through the shaft, and a deflection control system passing through the shaft, the improvement comprising: the shaft includes a frame comprising a tube of superelastic material with slots into the tube along opposite sides of the tube, wherein the tube comprises a center channel surrounded by a tube wall, the tube wall comprising a uniform outer diameter and a uniform wall thickness, wherein the slots extend into the tube in at least two different directions perpendicular to a center axis of the tube and the slots on opposed sides of the tube are offset from one another, and wherein, except for the center channel, the tube wall does not comprise any longitudinal holes parallel to its center axis such that portions of the deflection control system pass through the center channel and not through the tube wall, wherein the slots extend into the tube a distance less than or equal to two-thirds the outer diameter of the tube, and wherein the slots on the opposed sides are interleaved with each other, wherein the deflection control system comprises a pull wire and a wire sheath, the wire sheath comprising an elongate solid sheath tube made of superelastic alloy material loaded in compression by tension on the pull wire, and wherein the pull wire extends along a channel inside the sheath tube.