Illumination system

• US 20030139673A1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Lia, Raymond A., Vivenzio, Robert L., Stearns, Scott S., Dromms, Raymond P., Danna, Dominick, Krauter, Allan I., Tamburrino, Richard A., Sims, John W.
• Application Number:
  US10/051,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139673A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/490
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/227 for ears, i.e. otoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers

Abstract

An illumination system for a medical diagnostic instrument includes at least one light directing element disposed relative to an instrument housing and at least one illuminating device, such as a white LED which is optically coupled to a peripheral portion of the light directing element for providing directed illumination of a target of interest.

Claims

1. An illumination system for a medical diagnostic instrument, said system comprising:

at least one light directing element attached to an instrument housing; and

at least one illumination device optically coupled to a peripheral portion of said at least one light directing element for providing illumination through said element to enable a user to view a target of interest.

2. An illumination system as recited in claim 1, wherein said light directing element includes a transparent window attached to said instrument housing.

3. An illumination system as recited in claim 2, wherein said peripheral portion of said transparent window is coated with a dispersive material to promote uniform illumination along said peripheral portion by said at least one illumination device.

4. An illumination system as recited in claim 1, wherein said medical diagnostic instrument is a sphygmomanometer.

5. An illumination system as recited in claim 1, wherein said light directing element is a speculum made from a light transmissive material, said at least one illumination device being coupled to a portion of said speculum.

6. An illumination system as recited in claim 1, including coupling means for optically coupling illumination from said at least one illumination device to said at least one light directing element.

7. An illumination system as recited in claim 6, wherein said coupling means includes at least one lens element disposed between said at least one illumination device and said at least one light directing element.

8. An illumination system as recited in claim 5, including coupling means for optically coupling illumination from said at least one illumination device to said at least one light directing element.

9. An illumination system as recited in claim 8, wherein said coupling means includes at least one lens element disposed between said at least one illumination device and said at least one light directing element.

10. An illumination system as recited in claim 5, wherein said medical diagnostic instrument is an otoscope.

11. An illumination system as recited in claim 1, wherein said light directing element is a mirrored surface, said illumination device being coupled to a portion of said mirrored surface.

12. An illumination system as recited in claim 11, wherein said medical diagnostic instrument is an intraoral dental mirror.

13. An illumination system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one illumination device is an LED.

14. An illumination system as recited in claim 13, wherein said LED is a white LED.

15. A medical diagnostic instrument comprising:

a housing;

a light directing element disposed in relation to said housing; and

at least one illumination device optically coupled to a peripheral portion of said at least one light directing element for providing illumination at a target of interest.

16. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 15, said instrument further including:

at least one pressure responsive element having a movable surface;

a movement mechanism disposed within said housing, said movement mechanism being disposed in relation to the movable surface of said pressure responsive element;

at least one indicating member which is caused to move from a first position to at least a second position when movement of said movable surface occurs; and

a dial face having indicia against which said indicating member moves.

17. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 16, wherein said light directing element includes a transparent window covering said dial face, said at least one illumination device being disposed in relation to a peripheral portion of said transparent window.

18. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 17, wherein said peripheral portion of said window is coated with a dispersive material for providing uniform illumination to said peripheral portion of said window.

19. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 15, including an inflatable sleeve which is wrappable about the limb of a patient, said sleeve being fluidly interconnected to said housing.

20. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 19, wherein said instrument is a syphygmomanometer.

21. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 15, wherein said instrument is an otoscope, said light directing element being a conically shaped speculum attachable to said housing, said at least one illumination device being coupled to a portion of said speculum to direct light from one end of said speculum to an opposite end thereof.

22. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 15, including coupling means for optically coupling illumination from said at least one illumination device to said light directing element.

23. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 22, wherein said coupling means includes at least one lens element disposed between said at least one illumination device and said light directing element.

24. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 21, including coupling means for optically coupling illumination from said at least one illumination device to said light directing element.

25. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 24, wherein said coupling means includes at least one lens element disposed between said at least one illumination device and said light directing element.

26. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 15, wherein said light directing element includes a mirror, said at least one illumination device being coupled to a peripheral portion of said mirror.

27. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 15, wherein said at least one illumination device is an illumination device, such as an LED.

28. A medical diagnostic instrument as recited in claim 27, wherein said LED is a white LED.

29. A pressure measuring device comprising:

a housing;

a pressure responsive member disposed within said housing, said pressure responsive member having a movable surface;

an indicating member which is caused to move based upon a change in said movable surface of said pressure responsive member;

a dial face having indicia against which said indicating member moves; and

an illumination system including at least one illumination device and at least one light directing element optically coupled to said illumination device for providing illumination to enable a user to view the dial face and indicating member during a measurement without requiring any ambient light.

30. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 29, wherein said light directing element includes a transparent window covering said dial face.

31. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 30, wherein said at least one illumination device is adjacently disposed to a portion of a peripheral edge of said window.

32. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 31, wherein at least a portion of said peripheral edge is coated with a dispersive material.

33. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 29, including activation means for automatically activating said at least one illumination device when said the movement of said movable surface of said pressure responsive member exceeds a predetermined amount.

34. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 29, including timing means for automatically deactivating said at least one illumination device after a predetermined time interval.

35. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 29, wherein said device is used for measuring blood pressure.

36. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 35, wherein said device is releasably attachable to an inflatable sleeve.

37. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 35, wherein said housing is mounted to one of a wall and a stand.

38. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 34, wherein said deactivating means includes a timer circuit which is activated when said at least one illumination device is activated.

39. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 29, including a protective bumper releasably attachable and covering the periphery of said housing, said at least one illumination device being disposed within said bumper.

40. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 39, including powering means disposed within said releasably attachable bumper for powering said at least one illumination device.

41. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 39, wherein a portion of said housing includes a notch sized for receiving said at least one illumination device.

42. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 41, wherein at least a portion of said peripheral section of said window is coated with a dispersive material with the exception of a circumferential section of said peripheral portion adjacent said notch.

43. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 29, wherein at least a part of said at least one light directing element is coated with a dispersive material.

44. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 29, wherein said at least one illumination device is an LED.

45. A pressure measuring device as recited in claim 44, wherein said LED is a white LED.

46. A method for uniformly illuminating a medical target, said method comprising the steps of:

optically coupling at least one illumination device to a peripheral portion of a light directing element of a medical diagnostic instrument; and

illuminating said at least one illumination device so as to uniformly direct the light from said at least one illumination device towards said medical target.

47. A method as recited in claim 46, including the step of providing at least one lens element between said at least one illumination device and said light directing element.

48. A method as recited in claim 46, wherein said at least one illumination device is an LED.