IP Library Granted Patent US 7,510,724
Granted Patent B2
US 7,510,724 · App. 10/374,365 · Granted Mar 31, 2009

Medical apparatus

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,510,724
App. No.
10/374,365
Granted
Mar 31, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a medical apparatus having a special coating on its surface, notably its surface facing the surroundings. The coating has germ and/or dirt-repellant and/or bactericidal properties. Special embodiments of the invention include dirt and/or germ-repellant and/or antiseptic materials or surface structures and anti-electro-static and/or electrically heated materials.

Claims (23)

1. A medical device comprising:

a surgical microscope defining a surface exposed to the surrounding environment, said surface being passively germiphobal by having a plurality of elevations or indentations spaced from one another to achieve a lotus blossom effect.

2. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein said germiphobal surface is formed on said surgical microscope by a germ repellent coating.

3. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein said surgical microscope further includes optical glass or optical plastic doped with an antiseptic substance.

4. The medical device according to claim 3 , wherein said optical glasses or optical plastics are doped with salts of a heavy or semi-heavy metal.

5. The medical device according to claim 3 , wherein said surgical microscope further includes optical glass or optical plastic doped with boron.

6. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein said germiphobal surface is water-repellent.

7. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein said germiphobal surface is fat-repellent.

8. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein said germiphobal surface is protein-repellent.

9. The medical device according to claim 2 , wherein said germ repellent coating is a ceramic coating.

10. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein said germiphobal surface is electrically conductive.

11. The medical device according to claim 10 , wherein said exposed surface is anti-static and is grounded or connected to an adjustable electrical power source, whereby the electrostatic attraction of free particles from said surrounding environment is stopped or said free particles are repelled.

12. The medical device according to claim 10 , wherein said germiphobal surface is electrically heatable by resistance heating to 60° Celsius.

13. The medical device according to claim 1 , wherein said exposed surface is provided with a plurality of elevations or indentations, each of said plurality of elevations or indentations having a respective vertex, and the distance between vertices of adjacent elevations or indentations being in the range of 1-100 μm.

14. The medical device according to claim 13 , wherein the distance between said vertices of adjacent elevations or indentations is in the range of 3-60 μm.

15. The medical device according to claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of elevations or indentations comprises a cubic structure with straight edges.

16. The medical device according to claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of elevations or indentations comprises a cylindrical structure.

17. The medical device according to claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of elevations or indentations comprises a frusto-conical structure.

18. The medical device according to claim 13 , wherein said plurality of elevations or indentations are sinusoidal/cosinusoidal in form wherein height is determined according to the formula sin(x) cos(y).

19. The medical device according to claim 18 , wherein x and y are in the range of 1-100 μm.

20. The medical device according to claim 19 , wherein x and y are in the range of 3-60 μm.

21. The medical device according to claim 2 , wherein said germ repellent coating is a plastic coating.

22. The medical device according to claim 2 , wherein said germ repellent coating is a lacquer coating.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2010
From: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
To: LEICA INSTRUMENTS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 024128/0669 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2010
From: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
To: LEICA INSTRUMENTS PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 023741/0870 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 2, 2004
From: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS AG
To: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS (SCHWEIZ) AG
Reel/Frame 014486/0459 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2003
From: PENSEL, JUERGEN
To: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS AG
Reel/Frame 013826/0214 →