US2358440A - Protective sheath for medical and surgical use - Google Patents

Description

Sept. .19, 1944. I E. F. BOWMAN V 0 PROTECTIVE SHEATH FOR MEDICAL AND SURGICAL USE Filed March 21, 1941 Patented Sept. 19, 1944 J PROTECTIVE SHEATH FOB MEDICAL AND SURGIOAL USE Edward F.

BowmanrBoston, Mam, win T. Wyman, Broollin assignor to e, Mass.

Application March 21, 1941, serial No. 384,436

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-294) sired gripping effect. The constriction c is made The present invention relates to coverings in th nature of finger cots for protection of a. surseon's fingers against infection when inserted into localities containing disease germs, and for analogous uses. Its object is to provide such coverings for single members, as distinguished from the connected fingers of a surgical glove, of substantially less thickness than the material of surgeons gloves and having means forming an integral part thereof for binding them on the finger. A further object is to provide a chamber in the closed extremity oi such sheath, partially subdivided from the main body of the sheath, but communicating therewith, adapted to receive a fluid, such. as an antiseptic or cleansing liquid to serve as an additional safeguard against iniection.

The drawing illustrates the principles or the invention in a generic way without reproducing the exact dimensions or form of a sheath designed for any specific finger.

Fig. 1 or the drawing is aside elevation of the protector;

" Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 2,- showing other forms of the protector.

My protective device is made 01. thin, exceedingly flexible and resilient material, preferably a vulcanized composition of natural rubberjor analogous compound of so called synthetic rubber. The precise composition and methods of making it are not of the, essence of the invention, and all substantial equivalents of the substances herein named may be used within-the scope of theprotection which I seek, and the article may be made by any suitable method of manufacture. a

J The protective cover or sheath here shown is made with a body portion a and an end chamber or sac b. The body portionis oi suitable length and diameter to receive, and fit smoothly upon, the finger for which it is designed, without being unduly stretched. It is of generally cylindrical shape. The material forming-its side walls is thin; 01 a thickness approximating that of paper, 1. e., in theorder of from two to eight thousandths of an inch. A constriction vc is formed in the sheath to constitute a retaining band adapted to bind the sheath on the finger by contractile force over a zone of narrow width. Such constriction may be located at the open end of. the sheath, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or at any desired distance from such open end, as shown in Fig. 4. In any case it is far enough from the of a diameter enough smaller than that o! the main body ofthe sheath to have the desired e1- iect. It maybe or greater thickness than the thin sheath walls, as shown in Fig. 2, or of the same thickness, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When made or greater thickness, it is not essential that .the constriction'be at the open end of the sheath;

the constriction intermediate the ends may equally well be thicker than the contiguous walls. In anycase the rim of the end opening is preterably reinforced by a bead d of substantially.

circular cross section.

When the sheath is placed on,the finger, the

5 ,constriction is stretched to much larger than enlargement, and the force of such resistance is normal diameter, and its natural resilience causes it to embrace the finger with suflicient force to prevent thesheath from slipping off. The sac or chamber bis united with the body Dart by a neck e of reduced diameter. Such neck a f is-gormed by an annular ring or band inintegral.

union with the walls of the body and sac, which are or tapering form adjacent to their Junction points. The neck zone may be of substantially greater thickness than the adjoining walls, as shown in Fig. 2, or it may be of the same thickness, as shown in Fig. 4. In either case it resists of course greater in the case of the thickened formation.

A passage f extends through the neck into the interior of the sac 1). Such passage is too small to permit entrance into the interior of the sac of a finger large enough to fit thebodypart oi the sheath, but it provides ample space for the passage of fluid. If the sac is filled with an antiseptic solution before the finger is inserted into the protective sheath, the end or the finger will block the passage .1 in some measure, preventing a free fiow of the solution but permitting a slow seepage. The constriction or band 0, however, embraces thefinger tightlyv enough to prevent escape or the fluid from the open end 01" the sheath.

What I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A protective sheath having flexible expansible resilientwalls of a thickness in the order of 'a few thousandths of an inch, closed at one end and open at the other end, the sides of the sheath being shapedto form a constriction which, when the sheath is free of external or internal stress is of substantially smaller. internal diameter than the contiguous portions of the sheath and located closed end to surround the finger with the de- 5 between the ends at a distance from the clo ed considerabl distances from both, the inside di-' meter of the sheath at both sides of the constriction being substantially the same and substantially larger than the smallest diameter 01 the 6 constriction.

EDWARD F. BOWMAN.

Images