Vaginal speculum assembly having portable illuminator

• US 20070230164A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: McMahon, Michael T., Vivenzio, Robert L., Slawson, Steven R., Danna, Dominick, Krauter, Allan I., Saddlemire, Dale C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,142,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00032 internally powered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00105 characterised by modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/303 for the vagina, i.e. vaginoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/32 Devices for opening or enlarging the visual field, e.g. of a tube of the body dilators A61M29/00

Abstract

A portable illuminator includes a contained power source and an integrally contained light source that is selectively inserted into the handle portion of a vaginal speculum. The portable illuminator includes at least one feature to protect the illuminator from contamination and to prevent users from pinching or snagging gloves or fingers during operation.

Claims

1. A speculum assembly comprising:

a speculum including a handle portion having a receiving cavity;

a portable illuminator having a contained power source and an integrally contained light source, said portable illuminator being sized to fit at least partially within said receiving cavity; and

means for protecting said illuminator from contamination.

2. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said protecting means includes

a disposable sheath member that covers at least a portion of the exterior of said illuminator.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said disposable sheath member covers substantially the entirety of the exterior of the illuminator.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said disposable sheath member covers at least a portion of the exterior of said portable illuminator extending from said receiving cavity when said illuminator is inserted therein, wherein said exterior portion is defined by an outer profile that is larger than that of the outer profile of the handle portion of said speculum.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said illuminator is insertable to a predetermined distance within said receiving cavity, thereby defining a gap between the end of said handle portion and the nearest surface of said extending portion of said illuminator.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 5, including a sheath member sized to cover at least a portion of the exterior of said illuminator, wherein said defined gap is formed irrespective of whether said illuminator includes said sheath member.

7. An assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said gap permits assembly of said illuminator to said handle portion without pinching of a user'"'"'s glove.

8. An assembly as recited in claim 5, wherein said gap is no less than approximately 0.020 inches.

9. An assembly as recited in claim 4, including a plurality of said disposable sheath members that are disposed in a stacked configuration to permit dispensing thereof.

10. An assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said plurality of disposable sheath members are disposed in a sheath member supply, said supply being configured to permit individual dispensing of said stacked sheath members relative to at least one illuminator.

11. An assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said disposable sheath member includes at least one window portion made from a light transmissive material.

12. An assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said disposable sheath member is at least partially formed from a light transmissive material.

13. An assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said disposable sheath member selectively passes only a portion of the light spectrum therethrough.

14. An assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said disposable sheath member is made from a colored material.

15. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein said disposable sheath member includes at least one perforated tear strip to enable removal of said sheath member from said illuminator.

16. An assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said disposable sheath member is made from a highly flexible material.

17. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein said disposable sheath member is made from a semi-rigid plastic material.

18. An assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said disposable sheath member is stored on a card.

19. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said portable illuminator comprises a housing, said housing including a substantially cylindrical projecting region within which said portable light source is disposed, and a pair of protective shoulders surrounding said cylindrical projecting region.

20. An assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein each of said protective shoulders is contoured.

21. An assembly as recited in claim 19, including a switch formed on the exterior of said housing, said assembly further including anti-pinch means for preventing pinching of a user'"'"'s glove when operating said assembly.

22. An assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said anti-pinch means includes a slot into which said switch is disposed, said switch being a slide switch.

23. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a portion that extends from said handle portion when said illuminator is inserted into said receiving cavity, said extending portion being contoured to facilitate cleaning thereof.

24. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said portable illuminator is reusable.

25. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said speculum is disposable.

26. A speculum assembly comprising:

a speculum including a handle portion having a receiving cavity;

a portable illuminator having a contained light source, said illuminator being sized to fit at least partially within said receiving cavity; and

anti-pinch means for preventing pinching of a user'"'"'s glove during use of said assembly.

27. An assembly as recited in claim 26, wherein said anti-pinch means includes a gap defined between said portable illuminator and said speculum when said illuminator is inserted into said receiving cavity, wherein said anti-pinch means permits said illuminator to be inserted to a predetermined distance into said receiving cavity, thereby creating said gap between the end of said handle portion and the nearest surface of an extending portion of said illuminator.

28. An assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein the exterior profile of said extending portion of said portable illuminator is larger than the exterior profile of said handle portion.

29. An assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein said gap is no less than approximately 0.020 inches.

30. An assembly as recited in claim 27, including a disposable sheath member sized to cover at least a portion of said illuminator, said sheath member having a thickness which is smaller than said gap.

31. An assembly as recited in claim 30, wherein said sheath member covers the majority of the exterior of said illuminator.

32. An assembly as recited in claim 27, including a sheath member sized to cover the extending portion of said illuminator.

33. An assembly as recited in claim 26, wherein said illuminator includes a housing having a switch to selectively energize said contained light source, said anti-pinch means including a slot formed in the exterior of said housing into which said switch is disposed such that an engageable portion of said switch is situated within said slot.

34. An assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein said illuminator includes a housing having a substantially cylindrical projecting region that includes said contained light source and a pair of spaced protective shoulders.

35. An assembly as recited in claim 34, wherein said speculum includes fingers sized to fit in spacings defined between said protective shoulders and said cylindrical projecting region when said portable illuminator is inserted in said receiving cavity.

36. An assembly as recited in claim 35, wherein said fingers engage said housing within said spacings and engage against the exterior of said housing, thereby defining said gap.

37. An assembly as recited in claim 35, wherein said fingers provide alignment for said illuminator in relation to a light pipe of said speculum, wherein engagement of said illuminator using said fingers within said spacings optically aligns said portable light source with said light pipe.

38. An assembly as recited in claim 37, wherein said light pipe includes a proximal end to which said illuminator is optically coupled and a distal end, said distal end being contoured.

39. An assembly as recited in claim 38, wherein said contoured distal end is provided with an optical finish.

40. An assembly as recited in claim 38, wherein said contoured distal end of said light pipe includes lateral edges having radii less than 0.010 inches.