Protective disposable sheath for muscle monitor

• US 4,953,563 A
• Filed: 06/20/1986
• Issued: 09/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Howard Kaiser, Laurie A.C. Kaiser
• Original Assignee: Howard Kaiser, Laurie A.C. Kaiser
• Inventors: Kaiser, Laurie A. C., Kaiser, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Application Number:
  US06/876,484
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 128/778, 128/774, 128/748, 128/780
• US Class Current: 600/591
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/227 of constricting muscles, i.e. sphincters

Abstract

A generally funnel-shaped protective disposable sheath is provided for use with a muscle monitor of the kind including a compressible-expansible elongated bulb insertable into a body cavity and a generally annular flange of greater diameter than the bulb adjacent one end of the bulb for limiting the extent of penetration of the bulb into the body cavity. The sheath is made of flexible elastomeric material and includes an anterior end portion which is adapted to fit over the bulb. The anterior portion is of elongated tubular configuration having a closed free end and an opposite end which is open and merges into a generally cup-shaped posterior portion of enlarged diameter adapted to overlie that surface of the muscle monitor flange which faces the bulb.

Claims

1. A generally funnel-shaped protective disposable sheath for use with a muscle monitor of the kind including a compressible-expansible elongated blub insertable into a body cavity and a generally annular flange of greater diameter than the bulb adjacent one end of the bulb for limiting the extent of penetration of the bulb into the body cavity, said sheath being made of flexible elastomeric material and including a posterior end portion and an anterior end portion adapted to fit over the bulb, said anterior portion being of elongated tubular configuration having a closed free end, the opposite end of said anterior portion being open and merging in an axial direction into a generally cup-shaped posterior portion of enlarged diameter adapted to overlie that surface of a muscle monitor flange which faces the bulb of the monitor, said cup-shaped posterior portion diverging outwardly along essentially its entire length and terminating in a skirt having an open end of maximum diameter.

2. A sheath as in claim 1 wherein said posterior end portion of said sheath is elongated in the axial direction so as to form a skirt which extends rearwardly of the muscle monitor flange when said sheath overlies a muscle monitor.

3. In a muscle monitor of the kind including a compressible-expansible elongated bulb insertable into a body cavity, a generally annular flange of greater diameter than the bulb attached to and adjacent one end of the bulb, said flange having a rear surface facing away from the bulb and a front surface limiting the extent of penetration of the bulb into the body cavity, the improvement comprising a removable, generally funnel-shaped, external protective sheath, the sheath being made of flexible elastomeric material and including an anterior end portion of elongated tubular configuration complementary to the bulb and having an outer closed end and an opposite end, the anterior end portion overlying and contacting the exterior of the bulb, the opposite end of the anterior portion being open and merging in an axial outward direction into a generally cup-shaped posterior portion of enlarged diameter which diverges radially outward and overlies and contacts the surface of the flange which faces the bulb, said cup-shaped posterior portion of the sheath extending rearwardly of the monitor flange and forming a skirt around the flange, said skirt being out of contact with the rear surface of the monitor flange.

4. A muscle monitor comprising:

a radially compressible-expansible elongated bulb insertable into a body cavity, said bulb having an anterior end and a posterior end and a smooth continuous outer surface;

a generally annular flange of greater diameter than the bulb located at the posterior end of the bulb;

said flange having a rear surface facing away from the bulb and a front surface facing the bulb;

a removable discardable protective sheath overlying the bulb and the front surface of the flange, the sheath being made of thin flexible sheet material and including an anterior end portion of elongated tubular configuration complementary to the bulb and having an outer closed end and an opposite end, said opposite end being open and merging in an axial outward direction into a posterior portion of larger diameter, said posterior portion overlying the front surface of said flange and being out of contact with the rear surface of said flange.