Fiber-optic protectant for heat sterilizable instruments
First Claim
1. In a medical/dental instrument subjected to periodic sterilization cycles involving heat and moisture, the instrument having a glass fiber-optic assembly mounted therein for transmitting light into and from surfaces which are located at opposite ends of the assembly and which are optically ground and polished, the improvement comprising a thin coating of a substantially transparent, heat-resistant, hydrophobic compound applied on both of said surfaces, whereby the instrument can be subjected to repeated sterilization cycles with minimal degradation in the light transmission into and out of the fiber-optic assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The light transmissibility of a fiber-optic bundle such as contained in a medical/dental instrument is maintained by the application to the polished and ground end surfaces of the bundle of a thin, substantially-transparent, heat-resistant, hydrophobic compound such as a silicone oil or grease.
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Citations
18 Claims
- 1. In a medical/dental instrument subjected to periodic sterilization cycles involving heat and moisture, the instrument having a glass fiber-optic assembly mounted therein for transmitting light into and from surfaces which are located at opposite ends of the assembly and which are optically ground and polished, the improvement comprising a thin coating of a substantially transparent, heat-resistant, hydrophobic compound applied on both of said surfaces, whereby the instrument can be subjected to repeated sterilization cycles with minimal degradation in the light transmission into and out of the fiber-optic assembly.
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7. In a heat sterilizable medical/dental handpiece having a glass fiber-optic assembly with ground and polished end surfaces at opposite ends thereof, the improvement comprising a thin, substantially transparent, heat-resistant, hydrophobic, compound coating applied onto both of said end surfaces, said compound being characterized by shearability at room temperatures and chemical stability at temperatures up to at least about 400°
- F., whereby the handpiece can be subjected to at least fifty sterilization cycles in a hot and moist environment without significant degradation with respect to light input, transmission over its length, and light output from the fiber-optic assembly.
- View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 18)
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10. In a heat sterilization process wherein a medical/dental handpiece having a glass fiber-optic cable with ground and polished end surfaces is subjected to repeated heat sterilizations in a hostile environment characterized by temperatures in excess of 200°
- F. and moisture under pressure, the improvement wherein a thin coating of a substantially transparent, heat resistant, hydrophobic compound is applied to both of said end surfaces at least once to preserve the light transmission of the cable by preventing degradation of the ground and polished end surfaces into which and from which visible light is projected, whereby the light transmission of the cable can be maintained at its substantially like-new level for a prolonged period of time.
- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
Specification