Patents by Inventor Kenneth C. Hancock

Kenneth C. Hancock has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5647840
    Abstract: An endoscope having a distally heated distal lens for performing laparoscopic surgery is shown. The preferred embodiment of the endoscope is a laparoscope which includes a rigid elongated sheath tube which encloses means defining a fiber optic light carrying bundle formed of a plurality of optical fibers each of which have a distal end. The fiber optic bundle has a proximal end which is adapted to be operatively coupled to a light source having light energy including infrared radiation and a distal end which is located in the distal section of the sheath tube contiguous the distal lens. The fiber optic bundle has a selected number of the distal ends of the plurality of optical fibers treated to form an energy diverting member for directing thermal or infrared energy from a light source into the periphery of the distal lens to increase the temperature thereof to resist fogging of the distal lens when the distal section of the endoscope is inserted into a warm, moist area such as a body cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Circon Corporation
    Inventors: Frank D. D'Amelio, Carl J. Rebert, Kenneth C. Hancock