Patent ID: 8900286

Claim:
A device shield for minimizing contamination of or damage to a medical device having an expandable portion, comprising: a housing configured to maintain a medical device within the housing such that exposure of the medical device to the environmental particulates and the damage is minimized, the housing having a storage portion formed in the housing at a location disposed between a proximal end and a distal end of the housing; and a limit element formed with the housing and being pivotally received within the storage portion of the housing, the limit element having a first position and a second position, the limit element being configured in the first position to constrain the expansion of the expandable portion of the medical device relative to the housing and to ensure that the medical device is not exposed to the damage and the environmental particulates, and the limit element configured in the second position to permit movement of the medical device relative to the housing once the risk of exposure to the environmental particulates and the damage is minimized, the limit element including a hinged proximal end, the hinge being transverse to a longitudinal axis of the housing, and a distal end being pivotal towards and away from the longitudinal axis in the direction to constrain and release the medical device a retaining member slidably associated with the housing and configured to extended over the limit element and a portion of the housing constraining the expandable portion of the medical device and maintain the limit element in the first position to ensure that the medical device, with the expandable portion, is not exposed to the damage and the environmental particulates.