Disposable sheath with optically transparent window formed continuously integral therewith
First Claim
1. Sheath apparatus for covering a medical instrument used for internal body applications, said apparatus comprising a thin-walled polymeric sleeve having at least one open end and at least one closed end, wherein said closed end comprises a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sterile disposable coverings for endoscopes and similar optical medical instruments are disclosed together with a method for preparing such coverings. By forming a heated polymeric film with a mandrel of appropriate shape and dimensions, relatively long-length, very small diameter, closely-fitting, thin-walled sleeves are produced, each having a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with the sleeve at or proximate to the closed, distal end of the sleeve.
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Citations
63 Claims
- 1. Sheath apparatus for covering a medical instrument used for internal body applications, said apparatus comprising a thin-walled polymeric sleeve having at least one open end and at least one closed end, wherein said closed end comprises a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve.
- 19. Sheath apparatus for covering a medical instrument used for internal body applications, said apparatus comprising hollow tubing having an open proximal end and, fastened at the distal end thereof, a thin-walled polymeric sleeve having a closed distal end wherein said distal end comprises a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve.
- 27. Medical apparatus for internal body applications comprising in combination an optical instrument and a protective covering therefor, said protective covering comprising a thin-walled, polymeric sleeve closely fit to the exterior distal end of said optical instrument, said sleeve comprising an open end and a closed end, said closed end comprising a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve.
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49. An elongated, tubular sleeve for covering an optical medical instrument used for internal body applications, said sleeve comprising at a distal end thereof a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with the side wall of said sleeve by the process of:
- heating an optically transparent film of a polymeric material to a malleable temperature;
inserting into said heated film a mandrel having at least one shaped surface near its distal end, said surface being shaped so as to conform with the geometry of the optical portion of said medical instrument, causing the film to stretch and form a closed-end sleeve around and conforming to said mandrel, said window being formed adjacent said shaped surface of said mandrel; and
removing the mandrel. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
- heating an optically transparent film of a polymeric material to a malleable temperature;
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55. Sheath apparatus for covering a medical instrument used for internal body applications, said apparatus comprising a thin-walled polymeric sleeve having a least one open end and at least one closed end, wherein said closed end comprises a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve, and a relatively rigid, apertured disc inside said sleeve and adjacent said window.
- 56. Sheath apparatus for covering a medical instrument used for internal body applications, said apparatus comprising hollow tubing having an open proximal end and, fastened at the distal end thereof, a thin-walled polymeric sleeve having a closed distal end wherein said distal end comprises a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve, and relatively rigid, apertured disc inside said sleeve and adjacent said window.
- 58. Medical apparatus for internal body applications comprising in combination an optical instrument and a protective covering therefor, said protective covering comprising a thin-walled, polymeric sleeve closely fit to the exterior distal end of said optical instrument, said sleeve comprising an open end and a closed end, said closed end comprising a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve, and a relatively rigid, apertured disc inside said sleeve and adjacent said window.
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60. Sheath apparatus for covering a medical instrument used for internal body applications, said apparatus comprising a thin-walled polymeric sleeve having a least one open end and at least one closed end, wherein said closed end comprises a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve such that said window and said sleeve flow substantially smoothly and continuously into one another along every interface without any discontinuous seam or edge.
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61. Sheath apparatus for covering a medical instrument used for internal body applications, said apparatus comprising hollow tubing having an open proximal end and, fastened at the distal end thereof, a thin-walled polymeric sleeve having a closed distal end wherein said distal end comprises a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve such that said window and said sleeve flow substantially smoothly and continuously into one another along every interface without any discontinuous seam or edge.
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62. Medical apparatus for internal body applications comprising in combination an optical instrument and a protective covering therefor, said protective covering comprising a thin-walled, polymeric sleeve closely fit to the exterior distal end of said optical instrument, said sleeve comprising an open end and a closed end, said closed end comprising a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with said sleeve such that said window and said sleeve flow substantially smoothly and continuously into one another along every interface without any discontinuous seam or edge.
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63. An elongated, tubular sleeve for covering an optical medical instrument used for internal body applications, said sleeve comprising at a distal end thereof a thin, substantially inelastic, optically transparent window formed continuously integral with the side wall of said sleeve such that said window and said sleeve flow substantially smoothly and continuously into one another along every interface without any discontinuous seam or edge by the process of:
- heating an optically transparent film of a polymeric material to a malleable temperature;
inserting into said heated film a mandrel having at least one shaped surface near its distal end, said surface being shaped so as to conform with the geometry of the optical portion of said medical instrument, causing the film to stretch and form a closed-end sleeve around and conforming to said mandrel, said window being formed adjacent said shaped surface of said mandrel; and
removing the mandrel.
- heating an optically transparent film of a polymeric material to a malleable temperature;
Specification