The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 10, 1995
Filed:
Sep. 20, 1993
Darryl J Bornhop, Bellevue, WA (US);
John B Clayton, Reno, NV (US);
Allen G Freiman, Reno, NV (US);
George H Middle, Reno, NV (US);
Sofamor Danek Properties, Inc., Memphis, TN (US);
Abstract
A flexible endoscopic probe includes a fiber optic image guide, a lens adhered to the distal end of the fiber optic image guide, and one or more fiber optic illumination fibers surrounding the image guide and terminating at the distal end of the probe. During manufacture, a mask tube is placed at least partially over the lens so that a masking material can be injected and cured. A retaining tube is disposed around the illumination fibers and a temporary tube is slid over the retaining tube so that a potting material can be injected into the spaces between the fibers, the image guide, and the retaining tube. The temporary tube is then removed, the distal end is ground and polished, and the masking material is removed from the lens.