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. 29, 1996
Filed:
Sep. 14, 1994
William J Francis, Quincy, MA (US);
Paul A Scirica, Huntington, CT (US);
United States Surgical Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes at least one member fabricated with a material which is capable of deforming in the presence of a deforming agent such as water, organic solvent, air, heat, light, etc. Thus, a disposable surgical endoscope is provided wherein a lens mounting element for aligning a lens assembly of the endoscope with the other optical components of the instrument is fabricated from a polymer which deforms when exposed to, e.g., water or organic solvents. Deformation of the lens mounting element causes the lens assembly to shift out of optical alignment with the other optical components of the device, thereby disabling the instrument.