§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5865724A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Flexible microsurgical instruments incorporating a sheath having tactile and visual position indicators

Assignee: Boston Scientific Miami Corp
•
Filing: 1997-07-07
•
Granted: 1999-02-02
•
Expires: 2017-07-07
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Flexible microsurgical instruments incorporating a sheath having tactile and visual position indicators are disclosed. A flexible lubricous sheath which covers at least a distal portion of the flexible coil of the instrument is provided with either contrasting colored stripes or palpable ridges, or both, which are located a predetermined distance from the distal end of the instrument. When the coil is removed from an endoscope, the practitioner or the assistant observes the coil as it is withdrawn and notices the appearance of the stripes as an indication that the distal end of the instrument is not far away. Upon observing the stripes, the practitioner or the assistant may then slowly remove the remainder of the coil to avoid whipping the distal end as it exits the endoscope. Alternatively, the practitioner or assistant may grasp the coil between a thumb and fingers to feel for the palpable ridges as the coil is withdrawn from the endoscope or feel for vibration of the coil as the textured portion exits the endoscope. Preferred aspects of the invention include: covering the entire flexible coil with the sheath, locating the indicator(s) approximately eight to ten inches from the distal end of the instrument, applying the tactile indicator by hot stamping the sheath and applying the visual indicator with pigment bearing polymeric based tape.

Inventors

  • 👤 Matthew A. Palmer
  • 👤 Bruce H. Diamond

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 20:12
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/06; A61B17/00; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2905; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/062; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3937; A61B2090/3962

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 199 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument for insertion through the lumen of an endoscope, comprising: a) a unitary flexible coil having a proximal end and a distal end; b) at least one control wire having a proximal end and a distal end, said at least one control wire extending through said flexible coil and being axially displaceable relative to said coil; c) a proximal actuator coupled to said proximal end of said flexible coil and said proximal end of said at least one control wire for effecting an axial displacement of said at least one control wire relative to said coil; d) an end effector assembly coupled to said distal end of said flexible coil and said distal end of said at least one control wire; and e) a flexible lubricous sheath covering at least a distal portion of said flexible coil, said sheath including a proximal end, a distal end and at least one of visual indicia and palpable indicia spaced at least a few inches from said end effector assembly, said indicia indicating a location which is a predetermined distance from said end effector assembly, and which is closer to said end effector assembly than to said proximal actuator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 199 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument for insertion through the lumen of an endoscope, comprising: a) a unitary flexible coil having a proximal end and a distal end; b) at least one control wire having a proximal end and a distal end, said at least one control wire extending through said flexible coil and being axially displaceable relative to said coil; c) a proximal actuator coupled to said proximal end of said flexible coil and said proximal end of said at least one control wire for effecting an axial displacement of said at least one control wire relative to said coil; d) an end effector assembly coupled to said distal end of said flexible coil and said distal end of said at least one control wire; and e) a flexible lubricous sheath covering at least a distal portion of said flexible coil, said sheath including a proximal end, a distal end and at least one of visual indicia and palpable indicia spaced at least a few inches from said end effector assembly, said indicia indicating a location which is a predetermined distance from said end effector assembly, and which is closer to said end effector assembly than to said proximal actuator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 1, wherein: said visual indicia comprises a plurality of stripes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 19 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 1, wherein: said palpable indicia comprises a textured portion of said sheath.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 26 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 3, wherein: said textured portion is formed by hot pressing a portion of said sheath onto said flexible coil.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 1, wherein: said at least one of visual indicia and palpable indicia is spaced approximately eight to ten inches proximal of said end effector assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 1, wherein: said sheath covers substantially the entire length of said flexible coil.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 25 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 1, wherein: said sheath includes both visual indicia and palpable indicia spaced proximally of said end effector assembly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 7, wherein: said visual indicia comprises a plurality of stripes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 7, wherein: said palpable indicia comprises a textured portion of said sheath.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 43 words
A flexible endoscopic instrument according to claim 7, wherein: said visual indicia and said palpable indicia are formed by covering a portion of said sheath with a pigment bearing polymeric tape and hot pressing said portion of said sheath onto said flexible coil.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3964468A Cited
US4646751A Cited
US5035248A Cited
US4982727A Cited
US5263962A Cited
US5217024A Cited
US5386818A Cited
US5445140A Cited
US5578056A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-02-01 2002-08-03 2003-02-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-02-01 2006-08-03 2007-02-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-02-01 2010-08-03 2011-02-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag