Patent 8449530 was granted and assigned to KARL STORZ GMBH & CO. KG on May, 2013 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A medical instrument comprises a shaft whose distal end is bendable. Arranged at the proximal end of the shaft there is a handle on which a bend control mechanism for controlling the bending movement is arranged. The bend control mechanism has a pivotable control element. The pivotable control element runs over a friction element, and an actuating element is provided via which the friction element can be brought out of a locking engagement with the control element.