Protective sleeves for scope probes for use in high pressure or vacuum environments

Claim 1

A protective sleeve through which an elongate probe of a fiberscope, a videoscope or the like may be inserted into a chamber having an internal environment, such as a high pressure or high/ultra-high vacuum environment, other than the environment of the exterior of said chamber, said protective sleeve comprising: a first body portion comprising a pressure-resistant material and having a proximate end, a distal end and an axial bore; a second body portion comprising a pressure-resistant material and having a proximate end, a distal end and an axial bore; connecting means on at least one of said distal end of said first body portion and said proximate end of said second body portion, to connect said first and second body portions together in a pressure-tight manner, whereby said axial bores of said first and second body portions are in substantial alignment; mounting means carried on said first body portion for mounting said first body portion to a wall of said chamber in a manner so as to seal said interior and exterior environments from each other, whereby said probe extends from the exterior of said chamber through said axial bores to the distal end of said second body portion; and viewing means including at least one window on said distal end of said second body portion.