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:
Jan. 16, 2001
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1998
Katsumi Oneda, Alpine, NJ (US);
E. Paul Harhen, Duxbury, MA (US);
Isao Fujimoto, Cresskill, NJ (US);
Vision Sciences, Inc., Natick, MA (US);
Abstract
A sheath for use with an endoscope having a flexible insertion tube to isolate at least a portion of the insertion tube from an external environment, and to alter the bending characteristics of at least a portion of the insertion tube, is shown and described. The sheath includes a compliant tube and an elongated shape-retaining member attached to the compliant tube. The compliant tube has a proximal end having an interior area configured to receive a first portion of the flexible insertion tube. The shape-retaining member extends axially along a second portion of the flexible insertion tube when the first portion of the flexible insertion tube is positioned in the interior area of the compliant tube. The shape-retaining member is sufficiently stiff to remain in a selected shape or position, and to retain the second portion of the flexible insertion tube in the selected shape or position. The shape-retaining member in one embodiment is rigid, and in another embodiment is sufficiently bendable to allow the operator to conform the insertion tube to other selected shapes or positions. In another alternate embodiment, the sheath has a rigid, shape-retaining member along a first portion of the sheath, a bendable shape-retaining member along a second portion of the sheath, and the compliant tube along a distal portion of the sheath.