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:
Nov. 09, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1998
Robert Lee Thompson, Rogers, AR (US);
Pinotage, LLC, Rogers, AR (US);
Abstract
According to one embodiment, an apparatus for mating a first instrument having an image sensor to a second instrument includes: a coupler having first and second ends respectively adapted to mate with the first and second instruments; a sheath, mounted to the coupler, that is extendable to accommodate at least one portion of the first instrument when the first instrument is mated with the first end of the coupler; and a focusing mechanism to focus light onto the image sensor, the focusing mechanism being uncovered by the sheath when the first end of the coupling device is mated with the first instrument and the sheath is extended to accommodate the at least one portion of the first instrument. According to another embodiment, an apparatus for mating with an imaging-producing scope includes: an imaging unit including an image sensor and a lens; and a coupler having first and second ends, the first end being adapted to mate with the imaging unit and the second end being adapted to mate with the scope. According to another embodiment, a method for mating a sterile instrument with a non-sterile instrument while maintaining a sterile barrier therebetween includes the steps of: (a) using a sterile coupling device having a sterile sheath attached thereto to mate the sterile instrument with the non-sterile instrument by mating a first portion of the sterile coupling device with the sterile instrument and a second portion of the sterile coupling device with the non-sterile instrument; and (b) extending the sterile sheath to at least partially accommodate the non-sterile instrument.