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US4805595A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Flexible tube assembly for endoscope

Assignee: Olympus Corp
•
Filing: 1988-04-21
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Granted: 1989-02-21
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Expires: 2008-04-21
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Abstract

Abstract A flexible tube assembly for an endoscope has outer diameter D and includes a helical tube constituted by a helically wound belt-like member having width l and thickness t. The helical tube has inner diameter d, and gaps s are formed between adjacent coils of the belt-like member of the helical tube. Gap s satisfies the following inequalty: 3≧s≧l (d/2+t)/(30+D/2-d/2-t) (mm) A net tube covers the outer surface of the helical tube. An outer sheath covers the outer surface of the net tube.

Inventors

  • 👤 Koji Kanbara

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 15:54
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B1/00; A61B1/00064; A61B1/00071; A61B1/005; A61B1/0051; A61B1/0055; A61B1/273; A61B1/31; G; G02; G02B; G02B23/00; G02B23/24; G02B23/2476

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 84 words
A flexible tube assembly for an endoscope, which has outer diameter D, comprising: a helical tube constituted by a helically wound belt-like member having width l and thickness t, said helical tube having inner diameter d, and gap s being formed between adjacent coils of said belt-like member of said helical tube so as to satisfy the following inequality: 3≧s≧l(d/2+t)/(30+D/2-d/2-t) (mm); a net tube covering an outer surface of said helical tube; and an outer sheath covering an outer surface of said net tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 84 words
A flexible tube assembly for an endoscope, which has outer diameter D, comprising: a helical tube constituted by a helically wound belt-like member having width l and thickness t, said helical tube having inner diameter d, and gap s being formed between adjacent coils of said belt-like member of said helical tube so as to satisfy the following inequality: 3≧s≧l(d/2+t)/(30+D/2-d/2-t) (mm); a net tube covering an outer surface of said helical tube; and an outer sheath covering an outer surface of said net tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said helical tube comprises a multilayer structure having a plurality of layers, each of which has thickness t1, and the sum of thicknesses t1 substantially coincides with thickness t.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of layers has gap s, and gaps s of the radially adjacent layers do not overlap each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the widths of the coils of said belt-like member are constant throughout a length thereof, and gaps s between the coils are constant throughout a length of said helical tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 68 words
The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the coils of said belt-like member have widths li which vary at a predetermined rate throughout a length thereof, width l in said inequality is the mean value of widths li of the coils, said helical tube has gaps Si which also vary along the axial direction thereof, and gap s in said inequality is the mean value of gaps si.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the widths of the coils of said belt-like member are constant throughout a length thereof, said helical tube has gaps Si which vary along the axial direction thereof, and gap s in said inequality is the mean value of gaps si.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US779374A Cited
US3670721A Cited
US4329980A Cited
US4327711A Cited
US4669172A Cited
JPS59190201A Cited
JPS60187701A Cited
US4753222A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-02-21 1992-08-22 1993-02-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-02-21 1996-08-22 1997-02-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-02-21 2000-08-22 2001-02-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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