Clinical probe and disposable sheath

Claim 1

The combination of a probe and a disposable sheath therefor, wherein said probe has a longitudinal axis and comprises a plurality of spring-biased sheath retainers, and a retainer actuator movable along said axis, said actuator has a portion arranged to cause camming of said retainers toward said axis upon movement of said actuator along said axis, said sheath comprises a frame defining an aperture large enough to admit said probe and to allow said retainers to pass when they are cammed toward said axis, and an elastic membrane fixed to said frame and covering said aperture, so that upon forceable insertion of said probe through said aperture said membrane will assume a condition in which it is stretched along said axis and conformed to the probe surface to be sheathed, said aperture is small enough to prevent passage of said retainers when they are not cammed toward said axis, and said frame has sufficient strength and rigidity so that, when said frame is held in a fixed position on said probe by said retainers, said membrane can in turn be retained on said probe in said stretched and conformed condition solely by said frame.