Patent ID: 7819871

Claim:
A side-port sheath comprising a tip, wherein said tip further comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said distal end comprises a blunt nose; a first tip sidewall, wherein a ribbon containment cavity is formed in said first tip sidewall; a second tip sidewall that is radially offset from said first tip sidewall by 180 degrees; a tip side-port opening that extends through said second tip sidewall from a side-port opening proximal edge to a side-port opening distal edge; and an internal, gliding surface that extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge, wherein said trailing edge of said gliding surface is adjacent to said side-port opening distal edge; a shaft, wherein said shaft further comprises a distal end that meets said proximal end of said tip; a first shaft sidewall, wherein a ribbon channel extends longitudinally within said first shaft sidewall; and a second shaft sidewall that is radially offset from said first shaft sidewall by 180 degrees; and a suspension ribbon, wherein said suspension ribbon comprises a distal end, wherein said suspension ribbon is slideably mounted in said ribbon channel, wherein said distal end of said suspension ribbon is supported by said ribbon containment cavity, and wherein said suspension ribbon is adapted to forms a bowed leaf spring when the suspension ribbon is forced longitudinally toward the distal end of said side-port sheath.