A bendable structure and a method for bending a structure

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(11)

EP 2 072 002 A8

(12)	CORRECTED EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
	Note: Bibliography reflects the latest situation

(15)	Correction information:
	Corrected version no 1 (W1 A1)

(48)	Corrigendum issued on:
	21.10.2009 Bulletin 2009/43

(43)	Date of publication:
	24.06.2009 Bulletin 2009/26

(21)	Application number: 07150257.9

(22)	Date of filing: 20.12.2007

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International Patent Classification (IPC):

A61B 1/005^(2006.01)

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL BA HR MK RS

(71)	Applicant: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
	2628 VK Delft (NL)

(72)	Inventors:
	Heijmans, Jeroen Antonius Cecillia 5261 EL Vught (NL) Verbaan, Cornelis Abraham Marinus 4225 PM Noordeloos (NL)

(74)	Representative: Hatzmann, Martin et al
	Vereenigde Johan de Wittlaan 7 2517 JR Den Haag 2517 JR Den Haag (NL)

(54)	A bendable structure and a method for bending a structure

(57) The invention relates to a bendable structure 40 comprising a body 41 conceived to be bent; an actuator 42, 43, 44 for inducing a bending force in the body, wherein the actuator comprises a wire at least partially manufactured from a shape memory alloy (SMA) material, said wire being pre-deformed and being arranged in contact with a portion of the body for forming a bridge structure The bendable structure 40 may relate to a bendable catheter or an endoscope.