A flexible, elongated catheter tube having distal and proximal ends and a laser cut section there between. The laser cut section makes up a majority of the catheter length and is cut in a continuous helical pattern forming interlocking teeth which can be sinusoidal, triangular, square or like shapes, preferably sinusoidal. The interior of the tube has a polymeric layer which forms the internal lumen of the catheter. The exterior of the tube has a polymer coating. A short portion of the distal end is uncut and is followed by a narrower terminal section which can be tapered for better blockage penetration. The interlocking teeth disengage and reengage in a fish-scale manner without undergoing plastic deformation of the metal tube and without substantial polymer separation from the tube exterior.

A tubular shaft for a tubular shaft instrument includes a hollow shaft component, an actuating rod arranged in the hollow shaft component, and functional elements that are attached at the distal ends of the shaft component and/or of the actuating rod. The actuating rod is axially displaceable relative to the hollow shaft component to move the distal sections of the functional elements toward one another, past one another, and/or away from one another. The actuating rod includes at least one bending area in which flexible segments and support segments alternate and in which the actuating rod has significantly less bending resistance than outside the at least one bending area. A friction-reducing layer on the at least one bending area of the actuating rod reduces the friction of the actuating rod on the inside wall of the shaft component.

A flexible, elongated catheter tube having distal and proximal ends and a laser cut section there between. The laser cut section makes up a majority of the catheter length and is cut in a continuous helical pattern forming interlocking teeth which can be sinusoidal, triangular, square or likes shapes, preferably sinusoidal. The interior of the catheter tube has a polymeric bi-layer of a nylon or like polymer at the interface of the tube interior and a Teflon or like polymer forms the interior lumen of the catheter. The exterior of the tube has a thin polymer coating of nylon or the like. A short portion of the distal end is uncut and is followed by a narrower terminal section which can be tapered for better blockage penetration. The interlocking teeth disengage and reengage in a fish scale manner without undergoing plastic deformation and without substantial polymer separation.

A flexible, elongated catheter tube having distal and proximal ends and a laser cut section there between. The laser cut section makes up a majority of the catheter length and is cut in a continuous helical pattern forming interlocking teeth which can be sinusoidal, triangular, square or likes shapes, preferably sinusoidal. The interior of the catheter tube has a polymeric bi-layer of a nylon or like polymer at the interface of the tube interior and a Teflon or like polymer forms the interior lumen of the catheter. The exterior of the tube has a thin polymer coating of nylon or the like. A short portion of the distal end is uncut and is followed by a narrower terminal section which can be tapered for better blockage penetration. The interlocking teeth disengage and reengage in a fish scale manner without undergoing plastic deformation and without substantial polymer separation.

A condition monitoring system for monitoring a rolling element bearing. The system includes a signal processing unit and a vibration energy harvester. The vibration energy harvester provides an electromagnetic transducer. When vibrated, a coil moves relative to a static electromagnetic field to create power. To create a compact and efficient condition monitoring system, it uses the electromagnetic transducer also as a vibration sensor, a velocity sensor. The signal processing unit determines if the bearing has been damaged and in some embodiments also the extent of the damage. The electromagnetic transducer is attached directly or indirectly to the rolling element bearing.

A flexible, elongated catheter tube having distal and proximal ends and a laser cut section there between. The laser cut section makes up a majority of the catheter length and is cut in a continuous helical pattern forming interlocking teeth which can be sinusoidal, triangular, square or like shapes, preferably sinusoidal. The interior of the tube has a polymeric layer which forms the internal lumen of the catheter. The exterior of the tube has a polymer coating. A short portion of the distal end is uncut and is followed by a narrower terminal section which can be tapered for better blockage penetration. The interlocking teeth disengage and reengage in a fish-scale manner without undergoing plastic deformation of the metal tube and without substantial polymer separation from the tube exterior.

A flexible, elongated catheter tube having distal and proximal ends and a laser cut section there between. The laser cut section makes up a majority of the catheter length and is cut in a continuous helical pattern forming interlocking teeth which can be sinusoidal, triangular, square or like shapes, preferably sinusoidal. The interior of the tube has a polymeric layer which forms the internal lumen of the catheter. The exterior of the tube has a polymer coating. A short portion of the distal end is uncut and is followed by a narrower terminal section which can be tapered for better blockage penetration. The interlocking teeth disengage and reengage in a fish-scale manner without undergoing plastic deformation of the metal tube and without substantial polymer separation from the tube exterior.

Apparatus and method for operating vehicles and other technical equipment by way of a haptic operating device having a rotating unit. Selectable menu items are displayed on a display unit, and a menu item being selected by rotating the rotating unit. The rotating unit latches at a number of haptically perceptible latching points during rotation. The number and rotational position of the haptically perceptible latching points is dynamically changed.

Apparatus and method for operating vehicles and other technical equipment by way of a haptic operating device having a rotating unit. Selectable menu items are displayed on a display unit, and a menu item being selected by rotating the rotating unit. The rotating unit latches at a number of haptically perceptible latching points during rotation. The number and rotational position of the haptically perceptible latching points is dynamically changed.

The disclosed embodiments describe a method for producing a bent tubular shaft for a tubular shaft instrument as well as a tubular shaft produced in such manner as well as a tubular shaft instrument with such a bent tubular shaft. The tubular shaft is produced by providing a hollow shaft component and an actuating rod. The actuating rod in this case has at least one bending area in which flexible segments and support segments alternate. The at least one bending area of the actuating rod is provided with a friction-reducing layer before it is inserted into the shaft component in order to create a tubular shaft. The tubular shaft is then bent in an area that corresponds to the at least one bending area of the actuating rod.