Environmental Monitoring System using Introducer Sheath Technology

Publication ID: 24-11857740_0002_PTD
Published: October 28, 2025
Category:New Applications & Use Cases

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Environmental Monitoring System using Introducer Sheath Technology,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11857740_0002_PTD, Published October 28, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11857740_0002_PTD
This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,857,740.

Summary of the Inventive Concept

The inventive concept leverages the core technology of the introducer sheath to develop novel systems and methods for monitoring environmental water, air, and soil quality, enabling accurate and efficient data collection and analysis.

Background and Problem Solved

The original patent focused on medical devices for delivering an elongate device. However, the limitations of the original patent led to the realization that the introducer sheath technology could be applied to other industries, such as environmental monitoring, to address the pressing need for accurate and efficient data collection and analysis. The new inventive concept addresses this gap by adapting the introducer sheath technology to monitor environmental water, air, and soil quality.

Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept

The environmental monitoring system comprises an insertion device (e.g., underwater, drone-based, or robotic), an introducer sheath, and a sampling device (e.g., water, air, or soil). The introducer sheath, with its distal end and proximal end, lumen, and sensor, assists in delivering the sampling device into the insertion device. The system enables efficient and accurate data collection, reducing the risk of contamination and increasing the reliability of the samples. The introducer sheath's sensor and lumen design facilitate seamless integration with the sampling device, ensuring precise data analysis.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The new claims introduce a novel application of the introducer sheath technology to environmental monitoring, which is not obvious from the original patent. The inventive step lies in adapting the introducer sheath's design and functionality to accommodate the unique requirements of environmental sampling, such as underwater or airborne deployment.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments may include using different types of sensors or sampling devices, modifying the introducer sheath's material or design, or integrating the system with other environmental monitoring technologies. Variations could also involve adapting the system for monitoring other environmental parameters, such as noise pollution or weather patterns.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The environmental monitoring system has significant commercial potential in the environmental monitoring and sustainability industries. The system can be marketed to government agencies, research institutions, and private companies focused on environmental conservation and sustainability, offering a unique solution for accurate and efficient data collection and analysis.

CPC Classifications

SectionClassGroup
A A61 A61M25/0668
A A61 A61B17/221
A A61 A61B17/3417
A A61 A61M25/0074
A A61 A61M25/0097
A A61 A61B17/3415
A A61 A61B17/3431
A A61 A61B90/40
A A61 A61B2017/3409
A A61 A61M2025/0681
A A61 A61N2001/0578

Field of Art

Medical device technology, specifically introducer sheaths and sampling systems for medical and environmental monitoring applications, with expertise in device design, insertion mechanisms, and sensor integration

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A biomedical engineer or medical device designer with advanced degree, experience in medical device development, understanding of insertion device technologies, sensor integration, and cross-domain technology adaptation

Obviousness Rationale

A PHOSITA would recognize the fundamental structural similarities between the medical device introducer sheath and potential environmental monitoring applications. The core mechanical principles of precise device insertion, lumen design, and sensor integration are directly transferable across domains. The PTD represents a predictable extension of the source patent's core technological concept by applying the introducer sheath's established mechanical principles to environmental sampling contexts.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element
Introducer sheath with lumen extending from distal to proximal end
PTD Variation
Adapting the lumen design for water, air, and soil sampling devices
Obviousness Reasoning
A PHOSITA would recognize the lumen's universal utility for device guidance and would find it a predictable design choice to modify the lumen for different sampling contexts
Source Patent Element
Medical device insertion system with port and delivery sheath
PTD Variation
Replacing medical insertion device with underwater, drone-based, or robotic environmental insertion devices
Obviousness Reasoning
The fundamental insertion mechanism remains consistent, representing a known technique of technology transfer between similar mechanical systems
Source Patent Element
Distal end tab or sensor configuration
PTD Variation
Integrating environmental sensors at the introducer sheath's distal end
Obviousness Reasoning
Sensor integration is a routine design modification for a PHOSITA, representing a finite set of predictable engineering solutions for device enhancement
Source Patent Element
Frangible portion extending from distal to proximal end
PTD Variation
Modifying material properties for environmental sampling resilience
Obviousness Reasoning
Material adaptation is an obvious engineering approach for extending device functionality across different operational environments
Source Patent Element
Medical device delivery system
PTD Variation
Repurposing delivery mechanism for multi-domain environmental sampling
Obviousness Reasoning
Cross-domain technology transfer represents a standard innovation approach for a PHOSITA seeking to expand technological applications
35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on US Patent 11857740's disclosure of an introducer sheath system, the present publication demonstrates that a person having ordinary skill in the art would find the environmental monitoring variations obvious through predictable technology transfer, mechanical design adaptation, and standard sensor integration techniques. The disclosed variations represent routine engineering modifications that do not rise to the level of non-obvious innovation, thereby establishing robust prior art against potential future patent claims in environmental monitoring device technologies.

Original Patent Information

Patent NumberUS 11,857,740
TitleIntroducer sheath
Assignee(s)Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.