1. A covering device comprising:
a link apron with;
a plurality of links connected to one another in an articulated manner; and, sliding elements arranged at the end on the links;
at least one guide element to guide the link apron by means of the sliding elements with at least one linear guide portion, wherein:
the at least one guide element has at least one curved guide portion with a radius R of curvature; and,
at least one support unit for lateral support of the link apron is arranged in the region of the at least one curved guide portion, wherein:
the at least one support unit has a plurality of support rolls, which are rotatably mounted and rest against the link apron; and,
the support rolls in each case have a roll radius r, which is smaller than the radius R of curvature.
2. A covering device according to claim 1 wherein the covering device is a protective guard or screen for machine tools.
3. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the roll radius r to the radius R of curvature is equal to rR\u2266\xbc.
4. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the roll radius r to the radius R of curvature is equal to rR\u2266\u2159.
5. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the roll radius r to the radius R of curvature is equal to rR\u2266\u215b.
6. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the links have a width b and the ratio of the roll radius r to the width b is equal to 110\u2266rb\u22661.
7. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the links have a width b and the ratio of the roll radius r to the width b is equal to 210\u2266rb\u2266 910.
8. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the links have a width b and the ratio of the roll radius r to the width b is equal to 310\u2266rb\u2266 810.
9. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the support rolls are rotatably mounted on at least one plate-shaped and curved carrier.
10. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the support rolls are rotatably mounted on both sides on two curved carriers.
11. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein:
a first support unit is arranged on an inside of the link apron and the associated support rolls rest against internal walls of the links; and
a second support unit is arranged on an outside of the link apron and the associated support rolls rest against external walls of the links.
12. A covering device according to claim 11, wherein the first support unit is arranged mutually offset relative to the second support unit in the longitudinal direction of the links.
13. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein:
the at least one guide element is configured as a guide rail;
the links in each case have an internal wall and an external wall that is shortened in the longitudinal direction of the links; and,
the links, in each case delimit, with the internal wall and with the associated sliding element, a guide gap, in which the guide rail runs.
14. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding elements are held in a recess of the links.
15. A covering device according to claim 14, wherein the recess is formed as a cavity.
16. A covering device according to claim 1, wherein at least one support unit is arranged on a lower first end and at least one further support unit is arranged on an upper second end of the link apron.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-91. (canceled)
92. A sheath for protecting tissue from an endoscopic instrument, the sheath comprising:
a sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end;
a tube extending from the distal end of the sleeve; and
an expandable member at least partially surrounding the tube and the sleeve.
93. The sheath of claim 92, further including a flexible elongate member configured to form a loop around the sleeve.
94. The sheath of claim 93, wherein the tube is a first tube, wherein the sheath further comprises a second tube extending from the proximal end of the sleeve, and wherein the flexible elongate member includes a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first and second portions extend through a lumen in the second tube.
95. The sheath of claim 93, wherein the flexible elongate member is configured to have a loose configuration such that an endoscopic instrument may move within the sheath, and a tight configuration such that an endoscopic instrument may be substantially secured within the sheath.
96. The sheath of claim 92, wherein the expandable member includes an extension movable distally relative to the sleeve.
97. The sheath of claim 92, wherein the expandable member is an inflatable member connected to an inflation tube.
98. The sheath of claim 97, wherein the inflation tube extends through the proximal end of the sleeve and connects to the inflatable member at a proximal end of the tube.
99. The sheath of claim 92, wherein the sheath is configured to at least partially contract around an endoscopic instrument.
100. The sheath of claim 99, wherein a flexible elongate member controls the contraction of the sheath around the endoscopic instrument.
101. The sheath of claim 100, wherein the flexible elongate member is configured to follow a path through a lumen in the sleeve, through an opening in an exterior surface of the sleeve, and around the exterior surface of the sleeve.
102. A sheath for protecting tissue from an endoscopic instrument, the sheath comprising:
a sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end;
a tube having a proximal end and a distal end;
a flexible elongate member, wherein at least a portion of the flexible elongate member forms a loop around the sleeve; and
an expandable member at least partially surrounding the tube and the sleeve.
103. The sheath of claim 102, wherein the tube has a length extending from the proximal end of the tube to the distal end of the tube, and wherein the expandable member substantially surrounds the tube along the length.
104. The sheath of claim 102, wherein the proximal end of the tube has an angled opening.
105. The sheath of claim 102, wherein the proximal end of the tube is located within a lumen in the sleeve, and the distal end of the tube extends from the distal end of the sleeve.
106. The sheath of claim 102, wherein the expandable member includes a first configuration in which the expandable member substantially surrounds the loop, and a second configuration in which the expandable member does not substantially surround the loop.
107. The sheath of claim 106, wherein the expandable member is configured to transition between the first and second configurations via an extension on the expandable member.
108. The sheath of claim 102, wherein the expandable member is at least partially fixed to the sleeve.
109. The sheath of claim 102, wherein the first tube has a first diameter and the sleeve has a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is less than the second diameter.
110. The sheath of claim 102, wherein the flexible elongate member has a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first and second portions are at least partially within the sleeve.
111. A sheath for protecting tissue from an endoscopic instrument, the sheath comprising:
an inner sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end;
a tube extending from the distal end of the sleeve;
an inflatable portion at least partially surrounding the tube and the sleeve;
an inflation lumen connected to the inflation portion and extending proximally through the proximal end of the sleeve; and
a flexible activation element forming a loop around the sleeve and extending proximally through the proximal end of the sleeve, wherein the loop is capable of changing diameters through proximal retraction of the activation element.