Patent ID: 7318814

Claim:
A sheath assembly for use with an endoscopic medical device, comprising: a valve assembly comprising: a housing defining: an aperture, a passageway that extends substantially linearly from a first opening to a second opening that opposes the first opening, and a branch passage extending from the aperture and being in fluid communication and intersecting with the passageway at a location between the first and second openings and at an angle greater than 90 degrees with respect to the passageway; a component defining an opening therethrough and disposed at least partially within the branch passage, the component interrupting the branch passage such that the branch passage includes at least two sections, the opening of the component and the at least two sections forming a substantially straight-through and continuous pathway and allowing communication between the aperture and the pathway; and a seal around the component; and a flexible sheath extending from the passageway and for passing over at least a portion of the endoscopic medical device.