US Patent Issued to EndoChoice on April 22 for "Disposable air/water and suction valves for an endoscope" (Georgia Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 6 -- United States Patent no. 12,279,753, issued on April 22, was assigned to EndoChoice Inc. (Alpharetta, Ga.).

"Disposable air/water and suction valves for an endoscope" was invented by Justin Wolfe (Lawrenceville, Ga.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A disposable air/water valve for an endoscope, including a shaft having a passage from an opening to a vent. The shaft has grooves and ridges and a protrusion formed at the vent. Seals are set within some of the grooves. An inner ring, having a diaphragm, extends from an outer circumference of the inner ring to an internal circumference of an outer cap. Hinges extend vertically downward from the diaphragm and ribs are forme...