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:
Apr. 22, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 07, 2000
Applicant:
Inventor:
Ralf Staud, Emmingen, DE;
Assignee:
Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG., , DE;
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61B 1/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
A61B 1/00 ;
Abstract
A protective tube is provided for use in sterilizing flexible endoscopes in a vacuum method. Such flexible endoscopes comprise a flexible sleeve at a distal end portion. The diameter of the protective tube is selected such that the tube can be slipped onto and fit onto the distal end portion. The length of the tube is selected such that it at least covers the end portion with the flexible sleeve. In addition, the structure of the tube is selected such that the flexible sleeve is protected against swelling under vacuum conditions, at the same time however the sterilizing agent reaches between the outside of the sleeve and the applied protective tube.