Lawrence Welk, the bandleader who entertained millions of Americans over a generation of broadcasting his TV show, once received a patent: for a music-themed design of an ashtray.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8357083 | Sterilization confirmation tester and test pack The present invention provides a sterilization confirmation tester and a test pack which enables effective sterilization to be confirmed in a simple and sure manner by providing a simulation of the structure of an endoscope and so forth. The sterilization confirmati... | 01/22/2013 |
| 8353822 | Molded elastomer for endoscope A molded elastomer for an endoscope is provided, which includes a fluorine-containing elastomer and a filler. The filler includes thermal black in a content of 1 to 10 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the fluorine-containing elastomer, and plate alumina i... | 01/15/2013 |
| RE43281 | Endoscope capable of being autoclaved An endoscope capable of being autoclaved in accordance with the present invention includes an insertion unit, an internal endoscope space, and contents. The insertion unit has a soft member, which is made of a soft polymeric material, as at least part of a casing th... | 03/27/2012 |
| 7918788 | Apparatus and method for providing flow to endoscope channels A method provides flow to multiple channels in an endoscope during an endoscope decontamination procedure. A member is inserted into a chamber in a body of an endoscope through an opening into the chamber, the chamber being intersected by a first lumen and a second ... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7896800 | Endoscope for medical and non-medical purposes The invention relates to an endoscope for medical and non-medical purposes having a housing and a shaping element positioned in the housing containing a hygroscopic substance. To design a medical instrument of the aforementioned type in such a manner than the hygros... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7850603 | Endoscope for sterilizing built-in elongated channel with high-temperature and high-pressure vapor An endoscope according to the present invention includes an endoscope main body, in which a channel having at least one end communicated with the outside is inserted and which is covered with an exterior member, and a communicating hole which is arranged in the half... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7758498 | Endoscope with relief of axial loading A rigid endoscope includes an outer housing subassembly that supports an optics subassembly. The outer housing subassembly includes concentric tubes with optical fiber for providing object illumination. The optics subassembly includes a tubular sheath sealed at both... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7435215 | Endoscope An inserting portion has, at the proximal end thereof, an operating portion having a bending lever for bending operation. The operating portion has, on the front end side thereof, a grip portion gripped by an operator. The grip portion has therein a plate frame as a... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7410462 | Hermetic endoscope assemblage Hermetically sealed enclosures and constructions are disclosed for use in endoscopic systems, particularly endoscopic systems with electronic imaging and illumination systems in the enclosures. Compound optical windows are also disclosed for use in the systems. The ... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7399273 | Method for high-temperature high-pressure steam sterilization treatment of endoscope and endoscope A method for autoclave sterilization of an endoscope 2 of the present invention includes the step of making a space, which is defined by the outer side of a channel and an outer covering member of the endoscope 2, communicate with the outside of the en... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7385772 | Optical device with lens positioning and method of making the same Optical devices which accurately position optical elements and methods for producing such optical devices. Each optical element is carried by a support on an axis that has portions plastically deformed to overlap portions of the faces of the optical element adjacent... | 06/10/2008 |
| 7369176 | Autoclavable imager assembly The invention is an imager assembly for a miniature camera head. The assembly comprises an imaging sensor having conductive leads; an objective lens system placed on top of the sensor; circuitry, mounted beneath the imaging sensor, for driving the sensor and amplify... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7340943 | Method of detecting connection of test port on an endoscope A method detects proper connection of a test connection to an endoscope port which leads to an interior space beneath a flexible sheath on an endoscope. Both the interior space and an air buffer are pressurized and then isolated from each other. Pressure in the inte... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7331954 | Photonic crystal fibers and medical systems including photonic crystal fibers In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include directing radiation to a target location of a patient through a photonic crystal fiber, the photonic crystal fiber having a hollow core and flowing a fluid through the hollow core to the target l... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7318803 | Endoscope and manufacturing method therefor An endoscope is provided with a pliable tube composed of an integument layer formed from a resin and a metal tube integrally fitted into this integument layer in an insertion portion. The inner diameter dimension of the pliable tube at ambient temperature after appl... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7311660 | Method and apparatus for heating and applying warm antifog solution to endoscopes as well as a distal lens protector A sterile, self-contained, disposable apparatus used for heating and applying solution to the distal end of endoscopes as well as an endoscopic lens protector. The heating mechanism is chemical, electrical or a combination of both. Further the apparatus serves as a ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7311659 | Endoscope shaft An endoscope shaft comprising a working conduit and a number of supply and/or functional conduits. The supply and/or functional conduits have an excessive length with respect to the endoscope shaft and are arranged in spirals, in serpentine and/or zigzag shape aroun... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7309867 | Methods and apparatus for characterization of tissue samples The invention provides methods for determining the probability that a given region of a tissue sample contains tissue of a given category, such as CIN 1 (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, grade 1), CIN 2/3 (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2 and/or 3), no... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7309936 | Resolver with waterproofing elements To obtain a resolver in which the winding portion is prevented from breaking by corrosion caused by water. The resolver includes: a stator core in which a plurality of pole teeth are formed inside an annular stator core main body in a radius direction, a rotor provi... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7282723 | Methods and apparatus for processing spectral data for use in tissue characterization The invention provides methods for processing tissue-derived spectral data for use in a tissue classification algorithm. Methods of the invention comprise application of spectral and/or image masks for automatically separating ambiguous or unclassifiable spectral da... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7278965 | Operating mechanism for medical device An operating mechanism for a medical device comprises a photo-interrupter that can designate specified functional operations, an air-tight unit that can accommodate this photo-interrupter air-tightly, a moving member which is disposed inside the air-tight unit, and ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7276023 | Device for checking endoscope channels In order to check endoscope channels, a predetermined quantity of liquid is led, at a predetermined pressure, through the channel that is to be checked, and the period of time for this is measured and evaluated. The predetermined quantity of liquid is determined via... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7258546 | Medical or dental instrument and/or supply unit and/or care unit and/or system for the medical or dental instrument The invention relates to a medical or dental-medical instrument (2) having a memory element (10p) for identification and/or operational parameter data. IN order to extend the range of possible applications of the instrument, the memory element (... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7260248 | Image processing using measures of similarity The invention provides methods of relating a plurality of images based on measures of similarity. The methods of the invention are useful in the segmentation of a sequence of colposcopic images of tissue, for example. The methods may be applied in the determination ... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7244228 | Sigmoidoscope A sigmoidoscope comprises at least one disposable part, in combination with a device for insufflation of a body cavity with a medium via the sigmoidoscope, the medium being susceptible to contamination by a contaminant during use of the sigmoidoscope. The insufflati... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7244252 | Medical device with visual indicator and related methods of use Embodiments of the invention relate to a medical device with a visual indicator that changes color when exposed to a particular environment and/or chemical. The visual indicator may be printed or otherwise affixed on a portion of a medical device, for example the ha... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7241270 | Systems and methods for monitoring and enabling use of a medical instrument Systems and methods monitor and enable the use of a medical instrument that is configured to be operated in a prescribed manner. The systems and methods employ a use register sized and configured to be carried by the medical instrument, which comprises a memory fiel... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7214183 | Endoscope apparatus having an insertion channel A structure having a proximal open end for inserting a treatment instrument into a channel of the insertion portion that opens to a display panel side, and is provided on the frame of the display portion, wherein the treatment instrument inserted from the proximal o... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7193519 | Reusable instruments and related systems and methods Reusable instruments, such as reusable medical instruments, and related systems and methods, are disclosed. In some embodiments, the reusable instrument can be an endoscope. ... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7187810 | Methods and systems for correcting image misalignment The invention provides methods of determining a correction for a misalignment between at least two images in a sequence of images due at least in part to sample movement. The methods are applied, for example, in the processing and analysis of a sequence of images of... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7150752 | Endoscopic instrument A fitting hole portion of a shaft portion fitted to a mouth ring portion of an endoscope is provided to an attachment portion of a ligation band operation band, and an operation to switch between a flange portion insertion position at which the flange portion of the... | 12/19/2006 |
| 7138348 | Optical glass An optical glass has optical constants which are an refractive index (nd) of 1.70–1.75 and an Abbe number (vd) of 45.0–54.0; a glass transformation temperature (Tg) of 500–580° C. The glass has the following composition in mass percent of: SiO2 mor... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7137988 | Needle driver An improved needle driver, wherein the needle driver includes an elongated body having a substantially hollow interior portion and a first and second ends. An actuator extending from the first end of the elongated body is included and is in communication with the su... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7138087 | Apparatus and method for steam reprocessing flexible endoscopes A system for reprocessing flexible endoscopes having lumen therein. The reprocessing system deploys steam to disinfect and/or sterilize the endoscopes, and designs, components and methods for reducing or balancing the reprocessing cycle time and the effects of therm... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7136518 | Methods and apparatus for displaying diagnostic data The invention provides methods for displaying diagnostic results obtained from a tissue sample. In general, the invention assigns tissue-class probability values to discrete regions of a patient sample, and creates an overlay for displaying the results. The overlay ... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7125378 | Hermetically sealed imaging system for medical applications An imaging system includes: an optical-system holding member for holding an optical system to form an optical image of a subject; an imaging-device holding member for holding an imaging device to obtain the optical image formed by the optical system; a case for herm... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7127282 | Optical methods and systems for rapid screening of the cervix A method and a system is provided for discriminating between healthy cervical tissue and pathologic cervical tissue based on the fluorescence response of the tissue to laser excitation (LIF) and the backscatter response to illumination by white light (in the spectra... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7115091 | Reusable endoscopic device and related systems and methods Reusable instruments, such as reusable medical instruments, and related systems and methods, are disclosed. In some embodiments, the reusable instrument can be an endoscope, which can be cleaned by sterilization. In certain embodiments, a method of sterilizing inclu... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7097614 | Endoscope suitable for autoclaving An endoscope suitable for autoclaving in accordance with the present invention has a barrier that separates an interior from an exterior. When the barrier is located at a predetermined position, consideration is taken into a displacement of the barrier between the p... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7082003 | Pressure compensating device for optical apparatus In order to provide an arrangement for pressure compensation for optical devices, particularly spectrometers or the like optical devices, for compensating pressure differences caused by changes in temperature and air pressure between the internal pressure and the ex... | 07/25/2006 |