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....http://www.google.fr/patents/US4593679?utm_source=gb-gplus-shareBrevet US4593679 - Connector device for an endoscope
