US Patent 9937324 Variably flexible pipe and manipulator

Disclosed herein is a variably flexible pipe including at least one flap member having variable flexibility and a tube formed of an elastically deformable material and accommodating the at least one flap member, and a manipulator having the same. The at least one flap member may include a plurality flap parts and a connection part to which one side of each of the plurality of flap parts is connected, and the tube changes pressure applied to the plurality of flap parts according to a controlled change of the inner pressure of the tube, thereby causing the variably flexible pipe to be effectively selectively maintained in a deformed state.