PROTECTIVE SLEEVE

Abstract

A protective sleeve (1) for an endoscopy device having a tubular hollow body (20) extending along a longitudinal axis (L) having a distal opening (23) on a distal end (22) insertable into a human or animal body and having a proximal opening (25) at the proximal end (24) opposite to the distal end (22), characterized in that the hollow body (20) has a holding arrangement (10) in the region of the proximal opening (25) for holding the protective sleeve (1).

Claims

1. A protective sleeve for an endoscopy device having a tubular hollow body extending along a longitudinal axis having a distal opening on a distal end insertable into a human or animal body and having a proximal opening at the proximal end opposite to the distal end, wherein the hollow body has a holding arrangement in the region of the proximal opening for holding the protective sleeve, and the wall of the hollow body is reinforced with a wire helix comprising a metal wire characterized in that the hollow body and the holding arrangement have the same material and the holding arrangement is made of a transparent material that affects the view of the user only slightly.

2. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the holding arrangement in a circumferential direction transverse to the longitudinal axis extends by less than 90°, preferably by less than 45° along a wall of the hollow body.

3. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the wall on an outer side and/or on an inner side of the hollow body is at least partially profiled.

4. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the holding arrangement is detachably connected to the hollow body.

5. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the holding arrangement has the shape of a tab extending away from the hollow body.

6. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the holding arrangement has a grip loop.

7. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the holding arrangement is profiled at least in regions.

8. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the holding arrangement is made of a material having a Shore A hardness of more than 90.

9. Protective sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the extension of the holding arrangement in the direction of the longitudinal axis is at least 3 cm, and at most 6 cm.

11-12. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] In the following, the invention will be explained with reference to the drawing, to which reference is expressly made with respect to all details essential to the invention and details of which are not further elaborated in the description. In the drawing shows:

[0039] FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a protective sleeve according to the invention,

[0040] FIG. 2 a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a protective sleeve according to the invention

[0041] FIG. 3 a schematic side view of a third embodiment of a protective sleeve according to the invention,

[0042] FIG. 4a a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a protective sleeve according to the invention,

[0043] FIG. 4b a side view of the fourth embodiment of the protective sleeve shown in FIG. 4a, and

[0044] FIG. 4c a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the protective sleeve shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a protective sleeve 1 according to the invention. The protective sleeve 1 has a tubular hollow body 20 with a wall 21 which extends between a distal end 22 and a proximal end 24 in a longitudinal direction L. The hollow body 20 has a distal opening 23 at the distal end 22 and a proximal opening 24 at the proximal end 24. The protective sleeve 1 may be formed in one embodiment of a soft plastic, such as silicone or PVC, which has a Shore A hardness of 30 to 70, preferably 40 to 60.

[0046] The protective sleeve 1 can be inserted with its distal end 22 into a human or animal body. In order to simplify the insertion of the protective sleeve 1, the protective sleeve 1 has at its distal end 22 a tapered tip 26. At its proximal end 24, the protective sleeve 1 has a funnel-shaped region 27. The funnel-shaped enlargement at the proximal end 24 of the tubular hollow body 20 facilitates insertion of an object into the protective sleeve 1. However, the protective sleeve 1 can also be formed without the tapered tip 26 and without the funnel-shaped region 27.

[0047] Further, at the proximal end 24 of the protective sleeve 1, a holding arrangement 10 is arranged. The holding arrangement 10 has a closed handle loop 11, which extends in a circumferential direction transverse to the longitudinal axis L by less than 90° along the wall 21. The closed handle loop 11 can be gripped with just one finger, whereby a particularly simple fixation and movement of the protective sleeve 1, even when using a lubricant gel, is made possible. Due to the closed loop shape, the holding assembly 11 may have sufficient stability even with a small material thickness and when using a soft material. Thus, the same soft material can be used for the handle loop 11 as for the hollow body 20. Then, the handle loop 11 can be integrally formed with the hollow body 20. This facilitates the production and saves costs.

[0048] The second embodiment of a protective sleeve illustrated in FIG. 2 according to the invention differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 only by the configuration of the holding assembly 10, so that the description of the remaining components of the protective sleeve 1 is not repeated. The holding assembly 10 of the second embodiment has an open handle loop 12. If the grip loop 12 is formed from the same soft material as the hollow body 20, the grip loop 12 must be gripped with several fingers to safely guide or fix the protective sleeve 1. In order to allow handling of the protective sleeve 1 with only one finger, as in the first embodiment, the handle loop 12 must be formed of a harder material. Again, the handle loop 12 does not extend around the entire circumference of the hollow body 20, but the grip loop 12 extends only by less than 90° along the wall 21.

[0049] In the schematic side view shown in FIG. 3 of a third embodiment of a protective sleeve 1 according to the invention, the retaining arrangement 10, as in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, has a closed grip loop 11. In contrast to the first embodiment, however, in the third embodiment, the holding assembly 10 extends around the entire circumference of the hollow body 20 and is secured to the outside of the hollow body 20 with a circumferential mounting ring 13, to which the handle loop 11 is attached. By attaching the handle loop 11 by means of the circumferential fastening ring 13, higher tensile forces due to a more uniform force distribution can be achieved without damaging the protective sleeve 1. The mounting ring 13 may allow a releasable attachment of the support assembly 10 to the protective sleeve 1. The attachment can also be designed inextricable.

[0050] Also in the case of the fourth embodiment of a protective sleeve 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 4 a-4 c, the holding arrangement 10 has a closed grip loop 11. The grip loop is attached to the outside of the protective sleeve 1 as in the third embodiment of the invention. However, as in the first embodiment, the retaining arrangement does not extend along the entire circumference but only by less than 45° along the wall 21.