Protective cover for an endoscope

• US 5,667,068 A
• Filed: 06/13/1995
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stevie W. Weaver
• Original Assignee: Stevie W. Weaver
• Inventors: Weaver, Stevie W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US08/489,789
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 206/363, 206/438, 206/306, 206/523, 206/524, 206/588, 206/592, 600/121, 600/125, 604/259, 604/264, 604/263
• US Class Current: 206/363
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40

Abstract

A protective cover for use in the storage of an endoscope comprising a tubular member containing a passageway running lengthwise through the member from proximal to distal end, a tapered portion for holding the endoscope in place as it is inserted into the passageway, wherein the tapered portion is located at or near the proximal end of the tubular member, and a narrowed portion of the passageway located at or near the distal end of the tubular member.

Claims

1. A protective cover for use in the storage of an endoscope comprising

(a) a tubular member with proximal and distal ends, containing a passageway running lengthwise through said member from said proximal to said distal end,

(b) a tapered holding means for holding said endoscope in place as it is inserted into the passageway,

(c) a narrowed portion of the passageway in said tubular member located near its distal end and

(d) a closing means for closing said distal end of the tubular member so as to prevent light from entering the passageway through the distal end when said closing means closes said distal end, wherein the closing means is a flap which prevents light from entering the passageway through the distal end.

2. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the tapered holding means is a tapered portion extending inwardly into said passageway near the proximal end of the protective cover.

3. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein an elastic tightener surrounds said tubular member near its distal end.

4. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the tapered holding means is a tapered portion extending inwardly into said passageway near the proximal end of the protective cover.

5. The protective cover of claim 4 wherein more than one tapered portion are contained within the passageway of the tubular member.

6. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is square in cross-section.

7. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is from about 10 to about 40 centimeters in length.

8. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the thickness of the tubular member is from about 1.0 to about 5.0 cm.

9. The protective cover of claim 1 wherein the protective flap is secured within the passageway in said tubular member.