Method of preparing disposable sheath with optically transparent windows formed continuously integral therewith
First Claim
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1. Method of preparing an elongated, tubular sleeve for covering an optical medical instrument used for internal body applications, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating a first film of a polymeric material to a malleable temperature;
(b) inserting into said heated first film the distal end of an elongated forming tool comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and sidewalls joining said proximal and distal ends, and at least one shaped surface at or near the distal end of said forming tool, said surface being shaped so as to conform with the geometry of the optical portion of said medical instrument, causing the film to stretch into an elongated shape comprising a closed distal end, an open proximal end, sidewalls around and conforming to the sidewalls of said forming tool, and an optically transparent window adjacent each said shaped surface of said forming tool; and
(c) removing the forming tool from said film to create said sleeve.
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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
67 Claims
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1. Method of preparing an elongated, tubular sleeve for covering an optical medical instrument used for internal body applications, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating a first film of a polymeric material to a malleable temperature;
(b) inserting into said heated first film the distal end of an elongated forming tool comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and sidewalls joining said proximal and distal ends, and at least one shaped surface at or near the distal end of said forming tool, said surface being shaped so as to conform with the geometry of the optical portion of said medical instrument, causing the film to stretch into an elongated shape comprising a closed distal end, an open proximal end, sidewalls around and conforming to the sidewalls of said forming tool, and an optically transparent window adjacent each said shaped surface of said forming tool; and
(c) removing the forming tool from said film to create said sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35)
- (a) heating a first film of a polymeric material to a malleable temperature;
- 34. Method of forming a sheath apparatus for covering an optical medical instrument used for internal body applications comprising the steps of inserting an elongated forming tool having at least one substantially flat surface into a first malleable polymeric film so as to form an elongated polymeric sleeve conforming in shape with said forming tool and comprising an optically transparent window at each place where said film was adjacent each said substantially flat surface, cooling said sleeve below a malleable temperature, and withdrawing said forming tool from said film to create said sheath apparatus.
Specification