Abstract: A low cost x-y digitising system is provided for use in consumer electronic devices, such as portable digital assistants, mobile telephones, web browsers and the like. The digitiser includes a resonant stylus, an excitation winding for energising the resonant stylus and a set of sensor windings for sensing the signal generated by the stylus, from which the x-y position of the stylus is determined.

Abstract: A low cost x-y digitising system is provided for use in consumer electronic devices, such as portable digital assistants, mobile telephones, web browsers and the like. The digitiser includes a resonant stylus, an excitation winding for energising the resonant stylus and a set of sensor windings for sensing the signal generated by the stylus, from which the x-y position of the stylus is determined.

Abstract: A cassette comprises a base part and a closure member (202). The base part and closure member each have mating guide members which, when they mate, form and enclosed guide for tape housed in the cassette. In this way, construction of the cassette is simplified.

Abstract: A printer comprises a cassette bay (8) having a lid (16), a printing mechanism comprising a thermal print head (26) and a platen (32) and a mechanism (38, 50) for moving the theremal print head between an inoperative and an operative position. The mechanism is also responsible for simultaneously moving a drive roller of the printer between an inoperative and operative position. In the operative position, the drive roller cooperates with an output roller of a cassette inserted into the printer to provide an outlet nip.

Abstract: An endoscope has an eyepiece with an optical system (16) comprising a series of lenses (18) housed in a sleeve (20) which is movable longitudinally in the endoscope casing for focusing an image. An adjusting ring (26) is rotated to adjust the position of the sleeve (20), to focus the image for viewing by the eye. For viewing of the image by a camera, an adaptor (38) is fitted on the end of the endoscope eyepiece. The adaptor (38) has a slot (44) which receives a fixed projection (36) and a movable projection (30) on the adjusting ring (26). Rotation of the adaptor (38) rotates the ring (26) and thereby shifts the sleeve to a predetermined longitudinal position suitable for viewing of the image by a camera.

Abstract: A shaft which is capable of flexing or articulation under remote control comprises a plurality of identical vertebrae each having a generally circular outer rim (1), an inner hub region (2), and a plurality of webs or spokes (3) interconnecting the outer rim and the inner hub region. The inner hub region presents a projection (6) on one face of the vertebra and a recess (5) on the other face of the vertebra, the projection and recess being of complementary shape and being such that the projections and recesses of adjacent vertebrae arranged in series inter-engage to permit rocking of one vertebra on the adjacent vertebra to provide flexing or articulation. The flexible shaft may form part of an endoscope or other similar medical instrument, or may be the shaft of an industrial instrument such as a bore-scope.

Abstract: An endoscope has a handle portion and a separate shaft portion which can be joined to the handle portion. The shaft portion has a flexible shaft flexing movement of which is controlled by knobs on the handle portion, and this motion is transmitted across the handle/shaft interface by meshing gearwheels. Each tooth of each gearwheel has a crown shaped so as to have a central ridge between sloping sides which facilitate interengagement of the gearwheels when the latter are brought into crown-to-crown engagement in a non-rotating condition.

Abstract: A valve body (20) for an endoscope is moulded from polypropylene and has a straight through bore (27) to aid cleaning of the valve body. The valve body (20) has spaced external ribs (48, 50) which locate the valve body (20) with respect to the casing of a handle (10) of the endoscope. At one end the valve body (20) receives a threaded sleeve (30) which retains a slidable valve member (34) in position, a cap (42) being manually depressed against spring loading to open the valve and place a source of suction in communication with a side stem (38) which is intended to be connected to a passageway leading to the distal end of the endoscope shaft.

Abstract: An endoscope has a shaft (4) detachably connected to a handle (2) to enable the shaft (4) to be detached for repair or maintenance. The shaft (4) and handle (2) are detachably connected by spring-loaded latches (10) in the handle which are frictionally engageable with pins (8) projecting from the coupling face of the shaft (4). An external locking sleeve (20) prevents inadvertent separation of the shaft and handle. Illuminating light and the image to be viewed are coupled across the handle/shaft interface by abutting ends of fiber optic bundles (76, 80, 86, 92). The shaft (4) can be flexed by adjustment of manual controls on the handle as a result of racks (40, 44) in the handle (2) exerting a pushing motion on racks (50, 52) in the shaft (4), this pushing motion being transmitted into a pulling action applied to flexure wires (66, 62) extending in the shaft by virtue of pinions (54, 56) interconnecting the two racks of each pair of racks (50, 52) in the shaft (4). An alternative embodiment (FIGS.